Fortitude
by Laptoper321
Summary: Milo the Leafeon has lived a quiet life. Peace and relaxation are all he's ever known. If there's one thing he could change, it'd be himself. What started out innocently enough to improve upon his flaws, eventually spirals out of control, and now he just can't take it anymore. How will he get himself out of this mess? Rated M for occasional references to adult themes (PMD Universe)
1. Prologue

_Entry # ***_

_I wonder if I made the right choice._

_Considering that I'm writing this entry outside in the rain and having to take shelter  
under __a big tree, instead of home, it's probably not._

_My heart is aching so much that it hurts. _

_In the end, nothing has changed. I'm still a helpless, good-for-nothing, weakling.  
Once again I couldn't bear to deal with my current situation, powerless to stop it.  
And so I ran away, like the coward that I am. Nothing is right about that._

_There's a big lump welling up in my throat now._

_I must learn from this. That's what comic book heroes always do, right? They learn  
from their shortcomings, and grow stronger because of it? If only I was in that  
state of mind right now. I feel so scared and paranoid.  
_

_It's getting harder to sniffle up all the snot in my nose._

_I should have known better. I should have been more careful. I should have  
stopped when I had the chance. None of this would have happened if I just stopped.  
I won't do something so foolish again._

_I can't tell if it's rain or teardrops falling onto this page now. _

_I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay. I really did. Everything was going so well,  
but I made a mistake. One, big, dumb mistake. Now I can't bring myself to stay  
there any longer. No one would understand why I left, so even if I did come back,  
everyone would think I'm crazy. I even knew it was such a dumb ambition  
beforehand. Why? Why did I still choose to go through with it? God, I'm such an  
idiot! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

_My arm is trembling too much to keep writing. Only thing left to do now is to  
__curl up into a ball and cry._


	2. Chapter 1 - Milo

**Chapter 1 - Milo**

Today is yet another beautiful day of summer. All I can look forward to is to bathe in the warmth of the sun, stroll through the woods, and take in nature's bounty. It's the season of relaxation, and I intend to take full advantage of it. I can spend the whole day, and the next, taking siestas whenever I want with not even a care in the world.

I live in a humble settlement that is too big to be considered a village yet too small to be considered a town or a city. It nonetheless has been dubbed Cradle Town by its founders. Situated in a temperate forest, pretty much any Pokémon can call this place home. The town's main attraction is the plaza, located smack dab in the middle of the town. The plaza has everything a respectable town should have: a Kecleon shop, a Kangaskhan storage house, a Pelipper post office, and other recreational buildings, like schools, restaurants and libraries. It's also because just about every other town has these kind of things, that there's nothing really outstanding about this place. Aside from the inn and possibly a few shopkeepers, no one really _lives _at the plaza. Inhabitants instead opt to live a certain distance from it, usually within a reasonable walking distance. Homes dot around the landscape in no particular order. A residential map of the town would probably look like someone kept on randomly jabbing a piece of paper with a pencil, with each dot representing someone's dwelling. Housing can range from hollowed out trees, dens that resemble hobbit homes, houses made to look like oversized stumps, etc. The motif in the town's architecture clearly aims to preserve the natural beauty of the forest - a style that I'm sure most of its inhabitants appreciate, myself included.

My humble stump house and I reside in a neighborhood built inside a large and circular clearing in the forest. Together with seven other identical buildings, our homes are positioned in a semicircle formation, making it very reminiscent of a cul de sac. If one were to stand in the middle of the imaginary half-circle, facing the houses, mine would be the leftmost one. And even if my house was still difficult to locate, it'd be hard to not notice the fenced off garden behind my home.

_My beloved garden._

It is my pride and joy, and in some ways, my lifeline. It puts both food and coin on the table. The sweet smell of budding berry flowers never fails to relieve all the stresses of my daily life away. I'm willing to bet that it could even pacify a rampaging Primeape. It's like heaven in my backyard. This little pocket of paradise could use some better protection, however. I don't have fancy, whitewashed picket fences serving as guardians for my berry bushes, but rather an enclosure of my own making. It's frankly just a shabby construction of sticks and branches propped up from the ground and tied together with thin lengths of rope. It's barely high enough to reach my chin if I stood on all fours and it probably won't be able to withstand the force of someone walking into it hard enough, but it gets the job done.

There are days where I could literally spend entire days, weeks even, laying around in my garden. I would know of course, as I fashioned a hammock at the edge of it, just for those occasions. Seeing as how the sun was clear in the sky and showering me with its warm glow, my plans for this afternoon shouldn't be different from others.

I begin my mornings by washing my face in a water trough right outside my backdoor, then, if my reserves start to run low, I go off to a nearby stream to refill it. Some of my neighbors happen to share similar routines as well, and I would exchange small greetings with them whilst dipping a bucket into the river.

Instead of pushing the entire container underwater and having to pull it back out, water and all, I like to save my muscles the trouble and lay the side of the wooden pail on the surface and let the water flows right into it, though today the current was stronger than usual, making it a considerable effort to just hold onto it and keep it from being washed away. I was so engrossed in keeping my paws on the bucket handle that I let a sly individual sneak up on me.

"Boo!"

My reaction was to be expected, even more so when such a noise is shot directly into my eardrums. I didn't feel any shame in the fact that I shrieked like a child from the initial shock, or that I lost my balance and almost fell into the river. Normally I would be embarrassed, but I was too overcome with distraught at the fact that I had lost my grip on my trusty bucket. I could do nothing but watch it float down the brook.

"M-My bucket!" I cried, extending an arm in a hopeless attempt to grab it.

Before I could even turn my head to frown at my perpetrator, a magnificent blur of green, tan, and hints of brown flew past me. Dumbfounded once again, I looked to where it was heading. The mysterious figure turned out to be another member of my species - a Leafeon, albeit of the more feminine persuasion. She was on the other side of the river, even though I could have sworn she was just on my side of it a mere moments ago. In just a few seconds, the Leafeon leaped across the tributary and caught the handle of my bucket with her maw midway through her jump. It was executed with such grace that I found myself staring at the spot of where she performed the feat, even though she had already padded towards me and sat down in front of me.

"Heyo, still there?" She said, still giggling from her previous mischief. She removed the pail from her mouth and held it with her forepaws, gesturing me to take it. "Sorry about that."

I was so relieved to have my bucket back, safe and sound, that for a moment I had forgotten about her starting this whole fiasco in the first place. I blinked before reaching for it, "Oh uhh... it's alright."

"Not so fast, Milo," The Leafeon pulled my lost possession back and held it above her head as soon as my paws drew near, "Where's my gratitude for saving your beloved?"

I sighed before answering, "... Thanks, Mabel."

With a satisfied grin, she plopped the bucket onto the ground. I took it and began filling it up again. "I didn't mean for you to lose it, but sometimes I forget how jumpy you are." She started chuckling again, putting a paw over her mouth as a show of modesty, even though it was _way _too late for that now. "The look on your face was so adorable!"

I tried not to react to her comment, but I could already feel myself getting flustered. "Yeah so, did you want something?"

Suddenly her smile went away and she pouted, like she was about to ask about something urgent. "I need someone to talk to right now." She confessed with puppy eyes, "Please, Milo?"

Seeing as she just pulled a prank me seconds ago, I was none too eager to hear her out. But just in case, I pressed her for a bit. "Need to vent?" I began filling up a second bucket that I had brought.

"Mm hm." She nodded solemnly.

"Is it what I think it is?"

"Mm hm."

"Did you mess another one up?"

"Mm hm."

I pulled the second container out, stood up on my hind legs, and exhaled heavily as I prepared for the long haul back home. I studied the Leafeon's pouty face as I bent down to pick up two heavy pails filled with water. She stared back with glistening brown eyes, which looked like they were about to fill up with tears soon. Given any other scenario, I would have never guessed that she was the brave and gallant hero who came to rescue my bucket damsel from the raging current.

For a moment, I briefly imagined how much her face would twist with sadness if I refused. If not for her devious ploy earlier, I wouldn't have lost a few minutes in my lifespan thanks to the scare she gave me. I also realized how severe her situation was, so I erased any more dark thoughts and caved. The fact that she offered to carry one of the buckets back home may or may not have helped in my decision making.

* * *

Every so often, Mabel comes over to have some idle chatter whenever she claims she has nothing better to do; _"a little tête-à-tête"_ is what she likes to call it. This, sadly, was not one of those occasions. I tried not to look peeved about it when she told me that she was going through another break up with her new boyfriend that she apparently met a while ago. I've lost count of how many times she manages to sour her relationships with guys. Mabel seems desirable enough, so I must be missing something, but I still don't get how she does it.

_Actually I might have an idea._

Either way, I was stuck listening to Mabel whine for almost an hour while I throw in a few words of sentiment every now and then. The situation was as nerve-wracking as it sounds, probably even more, and I was feeling so terribly anxious to be put in such a position, but I tried not to let it show. Thankfully, it sounded like her tantrum was about to end.

"After all the things we did together, how can he say that to me?"

"..."

"He said he was happy, and what does he do?! He tells me that 'we should start seeing other Pokémon'! Like, who does that?"

"..."

"You know what? I was going to dump him anyway! He just ended up saying it first!"

She puffed out her chest when she said that last sentence. Her sudden display of strength would've been more impressive if she hadn't started bawling her eyes out seconds later. I let her stay silent and shed some tears for a few minutes, though really I was just determining when I should make my approach without setting her off again. Fortunately, I saw my chance when she paused her weeping to toss another tissue into the trash bin. I seized the opportunity before she started pelting me with more of her sulky complaints.

I backed off from the wall I was leaning on and sat next to her on my bed, rubbing her back for extra effect. Consoling someone else was totally outside my expertise, but there was only one other Pokémon in the room besides the tearful Leafeon, and that was me. "C'mon Mabel, you've been though this so many times already." I placed a paw on her head and ruffled it soothingly. "This isn't like you, getting all sad because of some boy. I know you're stronger than this."

Slowly, she picked her head up to look at me. "But Milo, I-"

I stopped her as soon as I noticed tears forming up again. "Just listen to me for a second."

"But-"

I put my face so close to hers that our foreheads were almost touching, forcing her to make eye-contact. I grabbed hold of her shoulders and rattled her slightly to get her to stay silent. "Mabel, please just listen. You've said yourself that it's best not to think about these things." I shook her again. "It's obvious that you wouldn't have been happy with that guy, so why keep beating yourself up over it? You're better off doing something else."

When I let go, she dropped her head and wiped the tears from her face. "Yeah…" She murmured. "Y-You're right. I just needed to cry for a bit."

An uncomfortable silence ensued, broken up only by the occasional sniffle from her. I thought that since she hasn't moved yet, she must've been in need of something else. Though I wasn't quite sure what it was.

"..."

"..."

"Do you need a hug?"

Without saying anything, she promptly raised her arms. I accepted the invitation and gave her what she wanted. As great as it felt to comfort someone in their time of need, I couldn't help but despair at how long I would have to stay in this position.

* * *

Despite my introversion, I like to think that I'm capable of getting points across when I need to. Mabel's long episode of crying until her eyes ran dry was not a unique situation that I was just tangled up in. It's a recurring event that, unfortunately, has no signs of stopping. At first, it truly was a difficult spot to be put in whenever she was in that ugly state. Nobody wants to be in such a scenario, but I am warmed at the notion that she is comfortable enough to burden me with such things, so it only makes sense to repay her trust by my part. My methods definitely aren't the best, since you can't expect much from a socially awkward individual, but I have gotten better at forming up the right words, thanks to all the practice I've gotten from numerous times Mabel comes to rant. Granted, all I do is just remind her of her dating philosophies, along with a couple other bolstering comments, but it's still an improvement compared to when I could only come with the occasional odd sentence, like "it's gonna be alright", "screw that guy", or other phrases that sounded a lot better in my head. She probably knows that I'm not very great at it too, but I think she mainly comes to just dump her emotions and say her piece.

With that being said, however, I'm confounded at how it's been little over a year and Mabel still can't find a match. Each time she comes to my door with heavy heart, I find myself yearning more and more for the day when a dashing prince finally comes to sweep her off her feet. I don't plan on pushing her away after I've had enough of dealing with her sorrows, but I am growing tired of having to be put in horribly tense circumstances every few months. Until then, however, I get to reap the benefits of our friendship, since she usually feels entitled to pay me back for our impromptu therapy sessions.

Mabel thanked me several times and promised to make it up to me someday before leaving. After she left, I let out a tired sigh of relief that she was finally gone, then I went behind my house and threw myself onto my hammock. I always seem to underestimate how tiring it is to try to make someone feel better. Even though I'm glad it's finally over, I couldn't help but be a little self-conscious on what else I could've said to make her feel even better. It bothered me enough that I couldn't even fall asleep in my suspended loft. What was supposed to be a short, leisurely walk to the river had suddenly turned into a distraction that made my morning become noon. I would've much preferred to have spent that time relaxing, but I guess fate decided that I've been lounging around for long enough this summer.

I eventually decided that labor would be the best way to clear my mind. With the daily chore of fetching water from the river, among other things, all out of the way, I had nothing else to do but to start tending to my garden. I filled up a wailmer pail and began to douse my plants. I picked any ripe berries and put them in a basket. I tilled any soil that needed tilling. It took me about half an hour to do all that, and it already felt like I was back to being my regular, content, self again. Then I noticed tiny little intruders sprouting out from the ground near the stems of some crops, so I knelt down with a woven basket and prepared to start pulling weeds. Just as I was about to get down and dirty, a hearty voice bellowed in front of me.

"Hey Milo! Glad to see me?"

I looked up to glance at my visitor. A Flareon was resting his head on his arms as he leaned against my fence. I dropped my head back down before I spoke. I was still feeling socially tapped out, so I tried to keep this exchange short.

"Oh uhh… yeah, sure." I wiped some sweat off my forehead, "Sorry, kinda busy right now."

He was unfazed by my evasive remark, "Don't be like that." He grinned, "Listen, it's been almost two weeks of you just moping about here, and it's starting to make me feel bad."

I started piling handfuls of weeds into a compost container, still refusing to make eye contact. "Is there a problem with that? I'm perfectly fine here."

"Yeah but you like, never go out."

"Only when I need to."

"That's what I'm saying. Point is, I'm not about to let you rot away here. So what do you say we hit the town this afternoon? Maybe grab a drink? Or maybe..."

I scoffed before giving him a sarcastic look, "This again? Did you forget what happened the last time I went with you?"

"Hey, that wasn't my fault!" He laughed, "And should I really be apologizing to you for that? Don't forget that I was the one who had to drag you home!"

"Maybe. But I would've preferred it if I was conscious the whole time. All I remember was taking a single sip out of something that I'm pretty sure was just water before I suddenly found myself back home. Anything could have happened, and all I have is your word for it."

"Why would I lie to you? You're not still mad about it, are you?"

"No, not anymore at least." I sat with my back against the same side of the fence that the Flareon was leaning on and breathed a sigh, "It's just… I get nervous easily, you know. This stuff's really out of my comfort zone."

"You just need to have more confidence in yourself. Look at it this way: someone liked you enough that they went out of their way to... err... steal you away for the night! That's gotta be one of the greatest compliments of all time!" He gave me a toothy grin, "C'mon, it's not like that happens all the time. We're young and fun! This is the age where we have to go out experimenting!"

I smiled, but it quickly went away. "Look, I'm perfectly happy by myself. You don't have to go out of your way to do this for me."

The orange eeveelution shook his head. "Stop being so stubborn. Just trust me when I say this: you're gonna look back on this day and regret it. You have to put yourself out there dude. And really, give me your honest opinion, don't you want someone to keep you warm at night? Or is your mind really set on dying alone? "

I opened my mouth to retort, but the words were inexplicably held at the tip of my tongue, like his question had knocked the wind out of me, and before I could attempt to answer again, the Flareon had already threw his arms up and began padding away.

"See? You're at the very least considering it. Alright, it's decided - we're hitting the town together." He stopped and pointed a paw at me. "And if you insist on being rooted here, I'll drag you there, kicking and screaming."

"But I'm already talking to a girl, there's really no point!" I exclaimed, sounding a lot more desperate than I'd like.

He spun around again to show me his smirk, "What, you mean Mabel? You and I both know there's nothing going on between you two." He, along with my hopes of spending the rest of the day sunbathing, continued his walk towards the edge of the clearing, "No use weaseling your way out of this one bud."

* * *

**Thanks for clicking on this story! I hope you'll continue to read what happens next!**


	3. Journal Entry 1

_Entry #54_

_I had quite a day already today. This morning I had nearly lost one of my buckets  
at the river today. Thankfully Mabel swooped in just at the right time, albeit in the  
flashiest way possible. Not to mention that she was the one who made me drop it  
in the first place. I let it slide though, since nothing really happened __overall._

_What was even more intriguing was that she had pulled me into another one of her  
rants about her and her guy problems. I was hoping I could get some time to nap,  
but I would be an awful friend if I refused. It was awkward as always to have someone  
cry in front of you, but she seemed pretty okay in the end. She even said she'll treat me  
to something nice for listening to her, so at least there's that to look forward too. I can't  
believe that she hasn't found a keeper yet though. She must have some interesting quirk  
that drives them away. I like to think that I know her pretty well, so I do have a few  
guesses on what it might be, but one can never be too sure._

_Flynn also dropped by and tried to get me out of the house again. In fact, he said  
he _will _get me out of the house, and I know better than to try to convince him otherwise.  
I suppose he means well, but it does get tiresome that he just won't realize that not  
everything is going to go the way he thinks it will. All I can do is pray that nothing  
terrible happens. It can't be that bad, can it? It can't be like the last time where  
he dragged me to a nightclub when summer began. Flynn still claims some junior had  
her way with me after spiking my drink with something foul, he even showed me a  
picture of her - an Espeon. The worst part of it is that I have actually seen the girl from  
around campus, so he certainly wasn't making that part up. The rest of his story made  
a lot of sense too__, thought I will never admit that to his face. There is always a possibility  
that he's being overdramatic. "We're still young and fun" is his reasoning. "Young and crazy"  
would be a more accurate statement. And honestly, from the things I've seen and heard  
from my fellow schoolmates, Flynn included, I'm really not that far off. Anything could have  
happened that day, and I __still __don't consider Flynn to be a credible source of information.  
Whatever the __case is, I'm never gonna look at alcohol the same way ever again, or any  
kind of liquid in a bar, for that matter._

_I know I'm writing this entry earlier than I usually do. But that's because you can  
never be too sure what will happen on one of Flynn's obnoxious misadventures,  
especially when there's girls involved, or really any kind of social gathering. I might  
__not even live to write the next entry. That's my reason right there, this could be my  
last entry. And if it is, I can at least die knowing that I was able to write that Flynn  
is a complete and utter maniac._

* * *

**Just a quick little "author's note" here: All journal entry chapters are optional reads. They basically summarize current events (aka the previous chapter) every so often, but from a more anecdotal perspective. They're intended to refresh returning readers on what's happening without having to skim through the entirety of the previous chapter again, or to serve as additional reading material. **

**I hope you like them!**


	4. Prologue (Continued) - Foreign

**Prologue (continued) - Foreign**

There is something truly special about growing up. For most adolescents and teenagers, graduation would mark such a grand occasion in which they are no longer considered dependents. The amount of freedom I felt was indescribable. I was now a young adult and I could do young adult things. One such thing would be to move out of your parents' house as soon as possible. I could not stand living in that den any longer. I wanted to leave, and move as far away as I could. And now I finally can.

My parents have been at eachother's throats for as long as I could remember. They are the pinnacle example of a match made in hell. They're alike in so many ways, so naturally one would assume they'd pair well together, but they were alike in the _wrong_ ways. They're both stubborn, independent, and prideful, and if two such minds were to cross, the results can be catastrophic. It's a miracle they are even married, let alone going out of their way to conceive me. I never had the courage to ask how or why they met, since I always assumed it was a forbidden question, like treading on thin ice. Whenever they fought, I've noticed that they never bring up the topic of divorce, so if I had to guess, family obligations are probably what's forcing them together, and I was the product of the pressure to have a child already. Whatever the case might be, it's something I don't dare try to find out.

Since I have been able to walk, I would try to stay out of the house as much as I could. There's this uneasy tension when my parents are in eachother's vicinity, and it made me feel terrified. I realized that they would never raise their voices when I'm in the same room with them, but once I was gone, all bets were off. I knew this, and yet I still ran away. Because no matter how much I try to steel myself, I always had a thought that there was a risk of being caught in the middle of the crossfire. All day, everyday, the household was filled with them screaming at eachother. Even when it was time for bed, I could hear them through the walls in my room. Some nights I would be so afraid that Dad would hurt Mom, or Mom would hurt Dad, and I couldn't get a wink of sleep. Some nights I would pray that they would one day make up. Some nights I would just cry.

As much as they scorned eachother, they held no resentment towards me. And how could they? I was not the source of their problems, nor had I wanted to be apart of their feud in the first place. In fact, they always liked to pamper me. They kept me content and never once did they direct their frustrations at me, and I loved them for that. But I can't help but wonder if they did it because they felt sorry for me, perhaps even pitied me, for having been born into such an unfortunate family where the parents are always butting heads.

Despite the warm smiles they always give me, I had this fear that my parents would one day snap and hit me. So I was usually hesitant to talk to them, and I would obey their every command so as to not anger them. This fear transferred to how I talk to everybody else, and I was known in elementary for being that wimpy kid who let himself get pushed around all the time. I eventually grew out of all that halfway through middle school, not completely though, as I was still shy and heavily obedient, but at least I wouldn't flinch and guard my face as soon as someone raised a finger at me to shake my paw or something. My parents sheltered me whenever they could, so I didn't have a lot of opportunities to stand up for myself. I never indulged in the things that other boys my age would do for fun, like football, tag, or any kind of game that would end up getting a bit too physical.

If there was one good thing that became of me living with my parents, it would have to be my appreciation of nature. I would seek refuge from the growing hostilities of home in the forest behind our den. I would take casual strolls through the woods and stop to look at every new thing I saw. My curiosity grew to the point to where I started taking things back home to my room to examine them more closely. When I brought back some berries from my adventures, my mother suggested we plant them in our backyard. I remembered fondly of how much my eyes bulged out their sockets when my first domestic plant began to sprout out of the ground. I was instantly taken with how I could take little tiny seeds and have them grow into magnificent berry bushes that yielded tons of yummy fruit. My parents soon found out about my fascination and helped me turn it into practically an obsession. My mother would sometimes help out around the garden and bought some potted plants to decorate my room. My father would sometimes accompany me on treks to the woods and help me forage for new things to plant.

I spent nearly all my free time in my backyard. My garden was everything to me. I cared for it and it cared for me. It provided my family with delicious food and washed away the stresses of academics, not to mention the fitness requirements of tending to a garden by yourself worked wonders on keeping me in shape. Though it didn't really help with the belief among my male peers that I was a sissy. Father merely passed it off as them being jealous at how much attention I've gotten from girls when rumors of my hobby spread to them, which was somewhat true, as it did help me become more approachable, but I found out later that it was because they too thought I was gay, so nothing especially romantic came out of it.

Overall, my life was peachy. I finished school with above average marks and the welfare of my family and I were more than prosperous. I even knew what career I want to pursue in life. I dreamed of opening up a store where I could sell my berries and share their delightful flavors with the world. Perhaps I could start a restaurant too, if I'm feeling that ambitious. I didn't have a rosy high school experience that so many dream of having, mostly due to my rock bottom self-esteem, and I didn't really have anybody here that I could truly call a friend, just acquaintances at best, but nothing is perfect.

There are always some things that could change, but won't, however. There is just one thing I would change for the better: my parents and their incessant arguing. From birth to a newly grad, they've shown nothing but love and support towards me, so why can't they do the same for themselves? Why do they hate eachother so much? Why has the fighting never stopped? Even after all these years, I still have trouble sleeping at night because of them, I still am afraid that they might hurt eachother, and I still feel uneasy whenever they're remotely near one another.

I can't keep living under that constant fear that my family could fall apart, if not for the sweet aromas of my garden, I might've gone insane. I couldn't take it anymore. My parents keep telling me they'd stop for my sake, but we both knew that was impossible. I had to get out of there. It was time that I finally find a place far away from there and get some peace and quiet. Good thing I had already planned for that. I even picked where I wanted to continue my education - Cradily University, at a settlement known as Cradle Town.

_Is the town named after the college? Or is the college named after the town?_

As soon as I got home from the graduation ceremony, I started packing my bags. I even thought about straight up running away, and not even tell my parents. I couldn't do that though, I loved them too much. They raised me and kept me safe, despite their nonstop antics, they deserve to know what I'm up to. I'm positive they'll say yes, it's too late now for them to refuse.

"Mom? Dad?" I said warily, peeking out my bedroom door.

A Umbreon with a yellow apron on, stopped chopping vegetables in the kitchen and turned to me, and a Jolteon with eyeglasses, also stopped reading his newspaper and looked up. The latter was the first to speak. "What's the matter?" Father looked at the big rucksack on my back. "Planning a trip to the woods again?"

"No, I uhh… can I talk to you guys for a sec?" I took off my huge backpack and sat down in an armchair. I waited patiently as my parents nodded and sat on the sofa across from me, on opposite sides, of course. "I… I think it's time for me to leave. I wanna move out."

"What? Now?" My father said, looking astonished as Mother.

"Y-Yeah, this is the university I'm looking at." I pulled a tourist pamphlet out of my bag and tossed it onto the coffee table in front of us. "Here, look."

Mother quickly scanned through it. "Cradily? That's at least a four day walk from here. Are you sure you want to go there?"

"Yes I'm sure. They have a really good business program, and I already got accepted."

"But your summer has just begun. Don't you want to stay for a little bit longer? Your father and I are planning a graduation party for you. The whole family is coming - your aunts, your uncles, and your cousins are all going to be here, even your grandparents are coming."

_Oh god not them._

"No! I mean… no… you don't have to do that, please I beg you, just… just cancel it." I stammered. "I want to leave as soon as I can so I can get acquainted with the town. Please Mom, I'm really excited to go there."

My parents were silent for a while, before they looked at eachother other and nodded, which kind of surprised me. Mother clasped her paws together and looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please, can you just promise us that you'll stay until tomorrow morning? We'd like to at least prepare some parting gifts for you before you leave."

I didn't see any harm in it, and they did pique my curiosity, so I agreed and went back to my room. I only came out when Mother called me out for lunch and dinner, and I savored every bite. It was going to be a long time until I taste her cooking again, if I ever do come back. I used my spare time to lay around in my room. I had a lot of time to think about what Cradle Town was like, and what it had to offer. It shouldn't be too different from here, though I have never been anywhere else, so I wouldn't know. The farthest I've ever gone was to the town center to run a few errands.

I fell asleep with the feeling that my parents knew the real reason of why I wanted to leave, but I wasn't lying when I said I was excited to go.

* * *

I was well rested the next morning, Mom and Dad's overnight bickering were a lot shorter than usual. Did they actually come to an agreement on something? Whatever it was, I was probably going to find out as soon as I walked out of my bedroom. I picked up my rucksack that I had packed yesterday and took one last look around my room. It was bare, like someone had robbed it clean, since I had crammed all my possessions in my bag beforehand. I saved my parents the trouble and tidied up before I left. Maybe I was too emotional, as my eyes got a little watery when I looked at the empty shelves and drawers in my room, I did spend my whole life here afterall. I walked out and closed the door behind me before a single tear could escape.

My parents were waiting for me at the door, standing on their hind legs so they could hide something behind their backs. When I bid my farewells to them, they revealed their presents. Mother gave me a brown leather booklet and a fancy black ballpoint pen, and said I could use it to write my thoughts down. The cover had my name stitched on it in dark green letters. When I opened it up to the first page, there was a family photo of us three, one where I used to be an Eevee_._ Below the picture were some of my mom's favorite recipes using ingredients that could all be cultivated.

Father's gift was less thoughtful, which didn't come as a shock to me, dad's were never really that good at being sentimental anyway. It was still surprising nonetheless, he had given me a pouch of Poké, and was a lot heftier than it looked.

"What? Dad, all this? Are you sure?"

"Hah! No worries kiddo. It's not like we're giving you our entire life's savings." The Jolteon chuckled heartily, "Believe it or not, that's all the money we saved on groceries, thanks to you. So, your mother and I decided to turn it into your college funds."

I had originally planned on using the pocket change I had cobbled together myself for the last few years to rent an apartment and get a part-time job to establish a good footing that way, but with this, I might be able to buy my own house from the start. No matter how much I knew my parents cared for my wellbeing, they still always manage to surprise me. This time, I couldn't hold back my tears.

"Aww, you guys." I hugged them both simultaneously,

"Don't cry honey, today's your big day." Mother gently caressed the back of my head,

"But… I really am gonna miss you two."

"Don't be, there's always a place for you here, just keep us in your heart and you'll be fine."

"I know. I will." I let go of them and took a deep breath. "I guess this is it then. Goodbye Mom. Goodbye Dad."

And with that, I set off on the first step in making my dreams come true.

* * *

I didn't know what exactly I was expecting when I got to Cradle Town, but after days of walking through forests, prairies, and valleys, I was pretty underwhelmed to see that it was in many ways similar to my hometown. I guess it's not entirely a bad thing though, since I could familiarize myself with the layout quickly.

I stayed and slept at an inn in the town plaza as soon as I arrived, which was sometime in the afternoon. Tomorrow I would prioritize securing a living space for myself and sending a letter to my parents so they know I made it. My back was set to break if I had my backpack on any longer and my paws were sore, and the only thing that could remedy it was some well deserved sleep. My slumber lasted the whole afternoon and the following night. When I woke up in the morning, I went to a real estate building and bought a modest home in a clearing not too far away from the center of town. Still with plenty of money to spare, I went to the Pelipper Post Office and sent my best wishes to my parents back home. The two whole processes combined took almost the entire day, and I wasn't all that tired considering I slept for over twelve hours yesterday, so from dusk till dawn, I unpacked everything and settled into my new home. Despite how anxious I was to be in a totally new area after laying stagnant for my whole eighteen years, I was feeling quite optimistic. One wouldn't even begin to know how nice it felt to sleep in a comfy bed without having to listen to any shouting through the walls.

When the sun rose and I was satisfied with the interior design of my house, rearranging furniture and all that, I went outside to survey the property. My next task was easily my favorite part of moving in: making a brand new garden! I mentally planned out the backyard perimeter, which, being the capable farmer that I am, I was confident that I could tackle maintaining a garden that was nearly twice the size of my old one. I even decided to show off my skills, to no one but myself, by fashioning my own fence, mostly because I didn't feel like bothering the realtors anymore to build an actual enclosure for me. I wandered the outskirts of town to find berries to plant, then went back after I found a good assortment. As I waited for them to grow, I spent the remainder of my summer lounging around home or, if I was feeling brave enough, seeing the sights at the plaza. Thankfully I did venture out, as I discovered my favorite diner when I felt like going out to eat out one time. Known as the Sunkern Café, it became popular for its tasty berry-related dishes, so it should come as no surprise that I took a liking to it. I also did have time to explore the Cradily College campus once I had enrolled, and I was glad to see that, at least so far, it was quite a respectable-looking institution. Complete with the typical lecture halls, student centers, libraries, etc., all packed together in a generic park-like setting. Nothing was out of the ordinary in this quiet little hamlet.

_Well, maybe not._

A day before my classes were about to begin, my garden berries were finally ready to be harvested. I figured it would be a nice time to introduce myself to my neighbors as well. I saw them a few times go in and out of their houses, but I never had a chance to talk to them. I decided to transform my produce into lovely gift baskets to assist in my introductions. I went door-to-door greeting the locals and apologizing for not doing so when I first arrived, handing them a basket full of treats as I did so. Even though I wished I didn't stutter as much as I did during my greetings, I'd say my trip around the block was an overall success. No one in my neighborhood looked particularly scary, they were all nice in fact. One of them actually happened to own a general store in the town square, and liked my berries so much that they offered to buy a portion of each of my harvests.

I pictured in my head over and over of several different scenarios of how I would introduce myself or what their personalities would be like. But none could even come close to how I met my next-door neighbor, which I went to last so I could practice making the best first impression on them. When I went to knock on the door with one paw, gift basket on the other, I found that it was unlocked. What's more, the door wasn't even closed all the way, and my knocking cracked it open ever so slightly. My puzzlement got the best of me and I decided to open it all the way.

"Hello? Anybody home?" I said, peering into the dark living room. All the windows were covered with curtains. The stench of alcohol filled my nostrils, and I saw an unhealthily thin Flareon who looked flat out wasted on the couch. It turns out he wasn't passed out, and when he picked his head up, he squinted and held a paw up to his scrunched-up face due to the amount of sunlight I was letting in. When his eyes fixated on my fruit basket, he looked like he was about to turn feral.

"Food?" He croaked, almost dumbfoundedly, but then he charged, "FOOOOOOOOD!"

It was only thanks to my reflexes that I moved out of the doorway just in the nick of time. I held up my basket automatically as I did so, like I was some _matador_ in a Bouffalant-fighting match, and I had lifted up my "red cape" to fake out the enraged creature. The Flareon flew past me and crash landed into the grass with a loud _thud_. He quickly got back to his feet and assumed a stance, ready to pounce once more. Drool was dripping out of his mouth and his pupils were dilated like he'd gone mad. My astonishment at the whole ordeal quickly turn to fear when I saw the murder in his eyes. Thinking he was after me instead of my berries, my first instinct was to turn tail and run, which was exactly what I did. I dropped everything and fled while I was still in one piece.

I sprinted as fast as I could to my house and slammed the door shut. Still breathing heavily, I braced myself against the door in case he was going to battering ram right through it. If I had a hammer and nails, I probably would've boarded it up too, just to be safe. When my panting slowed down a bit, I cautiously looked out my window to see the Flareon wolfing down the berries I spilled with no regard of his surroundings. I slumped down against the wall and sat there in a fetal position until my heart stopped beating a mile a minute. I didn't feel like going back out anymore that day, lest I be torn to shreds by that _demon_ out there. I had a feeling that I was going to be sleeping with one eye open tonight too.

_Feels just like home again..._

* * *

The next day, I almost didn't believe that the whole event was real. I thought maybe yesterday's incident must've just happened in my head. There was no way that that actually happened. Maybe I was so bored that I started seeing things. Not to worry though, the first day of classes begins today, and I won't let some silly hallucination keep me confined in here any longer. I even woke up early today so I wouldn't be late. I threw on a canvas messenger bag, filled with essential note-taking tools, and started to make my way towards the college grounds.

Just as I opened the door, I was met with a hulking figure in front of me. A paralyzing chill went down my spine when I realized that it was the Flareon who I thought was a figment of my imagination. I apparently opened the door just as he was about to knock, which would explain why he was holding up a paw, clenched into a fist. I nearly screamed too, but then I saw that he no longer looked like he wanted to rip me in half, and he now looked like a properly nourished individual.

"Hey uhh… I want apologize about before." The fire-type eeveelution said shyly, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry you had to see me like that, it's a long story - might tell you later if this all goes well." Out from the fluff of his tail, he handed me the basket I had dropped earlier, minus the berries, "Here, you dropped this."

I blinked, I assumed he had swallowed that too during his mindless feasting. "Oh… n-no, keep it. The basket and those berries were meant for you anyway. I wanted to introduce myself and when I saw you about to-"

"Yeah, I know what happened. Look, I'm real sorry about that, so let's start over." He put away my basket and extended an arm, "Name's Flynn. It's nice to finally meet you after hearing that you moved in next to me. Thanks for the gift too by the way."

I felt his ironclad grip the moment I shook his paw, which was something I should have expected from his deep and booming voice. "Uhh... yeah. I'm Milo, nice to meet you too?"

"Sure is." He looked at my pack slung over my shoulder, "Hey, would you look at that! You wouldn't happen to be a student at Cradily, would you?"

I nodded slowly. "…Yeah?"

"Well damn! So am I!" His grin grew wider, "Going there already? Wait right there, I'll come with you!"

Before I could even respond, he had already bolted back into his identical stump house.

* * *

Throughout my first year of Cradily, I found out that Flynn was also a fellow business major, and he had moved out of his parent's house when he was just a junior in high school. The reason was not to appear more mature and sophisticated, but to go start indulging in more… worldly pleasures, away from the eyes of his parents. Judging by his strong build, incredible social ability, and the fact that he looked much older than his actual age, despite only being a few months my senior, he probably didn't have a problem obtaining such pleasures. His one flaw that I know of so far is that he tends to get a little in over his head, which I had already seen one time too many. He works part-time at a fast food joint as a way to make ends meet. The time where I just so happened to appear at his doorstep, also happened to be when he decided to blow his entire paycheck on partying. He had not eaten anything for an eternity, and my sudden appearance was like an angel descending from the heavens to give him a second chance. I had unknowingly saved his life, even though I thought for sure that he was going to end mine, and his moral obligations demand that he pay me back, even though I have told countless times that his company is more than enough of a reward, which he has proceeded to ignore and called it cheesy.

When I told him I admired his ability to talk to other Pokémon without feeling self-conscious at all, he has since made it his mission to improve upon what I could not. Unfortunately, he goes about it in the only way he knows how: getting girls. He has tried more than once to hook me up with some of his gal friends. They've failed miserably everytime, and his goal to make me feel more like a man has only progressed in the opposite direction. I keep telling him to stop, but he somehow manages to keep convincing me to go along with his stupid methods anyway, even though I know it's going to be hopeless. He says things that make me feel like I have a chance. Things like "All that time you spent around plants and flowers gives you this natural cologne that puts everyone at ease, hell, I'm seduced already", or "Look at you! Look at that chiseled bod you got from screwing around in that garden! Like, damn bro, can _I _touch those muscles?". I still have no idea why I always end up waltzing into it everytime, perhaps because I'm a sucker for anything logical, even though I hate being flattered. Thankfully, he finally stopped setting me up with his impossible dates once he realized that I was getting nowhere.

Putting up with him isn't all that bad though, I'd take sleepless nights with my parents over anything. Amidst all the chaos of Flynn's shenanigans and learning to be an upcoming entrepreneur, I surprised myself by encountering a new colorful character to brighten my days a little bit more. A fellow freshman noticed that we shared all of our classes together and decided to introduce herself, asking if we wanted to be friends since we were going to be seeing eachother a lot anyway. I was happy to oblige, since I was eager to make friends, and I already felt a special connection to her, and not just because we were both Leafeon's. I tried my best to keep my relations with her a secret from Flynn, since I knew he'd try to set me up with any female that I even look at. It didn't take long for him to find out anyway, and whenever she wasn't around, I had to endure his teasing for just about the entire year.

The Leafeon's name was Mabel. If I had to describe her, it'd be that she was one of the many stunning temptresses that roamed the halls of my high school, who would inspire indecent thoughts in the minds of their fellow students whenever they were in sight, and Mabel was no exception to that trend. She liked to talk to me in between lectures, and as we began hanging out more and more, she even started to visit me at home (I could already hear the snarky comments that Flynn was going to make). One time she offered to have our usual chats at her place, but she lived in one of the many dorms the college provided. They were small and her roommate made me too uncomfortable to talk to her there, so my visits ended rather quickly.

Inevitably, her overwhelming friendship got the best of me, and soon I was hoping that we could be a little more than what we already were. I'm not entirely sure what got me so riled up. Did I fall for her charms? Maybe her endearing personality was what swooned me? Or was it a compliment she gave me that I couldn't stop thinking about? Whatever the case was, I never had the courage to tell her how I felt, as I didn't want to risk shattering the bond that I valued so much. Even though I hid it as best I could, and Mabel can be quite clueless at times, I had a feeling she knew, but spared me the torture of knowing that she did. Besides, she was pretty and popular among our peers, why would she want to associate with a nobody like me, much less like me the same way? I had to suppress my inner thoughts whenever she came to hangout. What helped was that she would bring up her relationship status with a new guy she talks about occasionally. It made my heart pang, but it helped me keep my feelings at bay. I thought that she wouldn't talk about other guys if she was into me, and whoever she finds to be a potential suitor would obviously be much better than me. So I thought it best to keep my mouth shut, thus our relationship grew and grew, and eventually she started to show her true colors.

From time to time, she would mention problems with her latest boyfriend. Now, starting on our second semester, she had started talking about them nearly _all_ the time. She'd bang on my door with tears in her eyes, begging that I at least listen to her sorrows. Having to spend hours at a time consoling her in between breakups actually allowed me to get over her. We had grown so close that she felt comfortable enough to let me see her at her worst, and I was touched. She trusted me, me of all Pokémon! Only a monster would take advantage of her like this. From that point on, I vowed to not betray her trust, nor would I abuse my influence over her. I was going to be a true friend to her! I knew more than anybody else in the world that she was in desperate need of sympathy.

Each time she came with a gloomy face, I would listen to her woes and comfort her as best I could. She even asked me for advice on what to do on a date once. She knew me well, so I thought she was joking, but she was genuinely curious if I had any tips. It was the one time I would ever be thankful for Flynn and his stupid attempts to get me to woo someone, as I used my awful experiences to make suggestions on what not to do, though I still felt pretty unqualified for the job. There were times where she came a bit too often, to the point where it sometimes became a bit of an annoyance. She'd drop by my house several times within the span of a few hours just to ask me something, regardless of the time of day it was. It made me suspicious that there were ulterior motives present. For a time, I suspected foul play. Were there tactical reasons behind our relationship? Did Mabel observe me from afar and, after concluding that I was too timid to pose as a sexual threat, decide to become friends with me for whatever reason?

I'm probably being way too superstitious, since I know that Mabel and I are buddies through and through, but I knew I wasn't too far off. I'm aware that she is really, really, _really_ intent on getting married one day and starting a family of her own. In my opinion, however, she tries a bit too hard. The reason she frequents the local gymnasium in town to exercise and do yoga is to make her body look more curvy and presentable, though I heard from Flynn that it's not too unusual for girls to do that. She changes her personality slightly to appeal to the current guy she's dating. She even confessed that her real name is actually Maple, but started calling herself Mabel because she thought it sounded cuter. She made me promise that I tell no one, and that I should continue calling her Mabel. I realize that this does make her seem… _slutty_, but I know that she is a truly sweet girl on the inside and has innocent goals in mind. And I will support her in her endeavors, just as she would to me.

Soon, summer will begin, meaning it will be a whole year since I've moved here. I've met two unique characters who became so deeply ingrained into my life, and despite their quirks, I'm glad to call them my friends. The next month or two will be filled with days of relaxation, and I'm never been so excited. Surely my second year as a Cradle Town citizen will be filled the same amount of delight, if not more. What could possibly go wrong?


	5. Journal Entry 2

_Entry #1_

_It's my second day on the road, and I just remembered that Mother had given me  
this book. She called it a diary and said that it's great to write in under any circumstance,  
but that's way too feminine for my tastes, so I'll just call it a journal. I still don't see  
much point in writing such personal things down in a book. What if someone finds and  
reads this? That'd be just awful! I will admit though, it is quite satisfying to write with  
a pen. And since I can't think of a better way to spend my nights, camping on the side  
of the roads, why not at least try?_

_According to my map, I'm about halfway there to Cradle Town. It's honestly great to  
be able to show off my outdoor skills in a brand new setting, nothing felt better than  
foraging in a place other than the forest behind my home. Things should continue to run  
smoothly, __since I had assured my parents over and over that I would take the safest  
routes, far __away from any mystery dungeon.__ I also cooked up one of Mom's recipes for  
dinner tonight, and it was delicious!... Though it wasn't as good as how she makes it. I  
miss her cooking already._

_Speaking of my parents , I still can't believe that they thought bringing everyone together  
for my special grad party was a good idea. I know that I should be keeping family close,  
but geez, inviting the _whole _family to __celebrate? I don't know what they were hoping, but  
__it certainly won't be how they __plan to. Thank god I was able to prevent it from happening.  
Having them at my going away party would have been a nightmare._

_There is everything I don't like about my extended family. Whenever there's a gathering  
of all of us, I feel like I'm the only normal one there. My grandparents have unrealistic  
expectations for me, and they always ask why I haven't lived up to them yet, not to  
mention that they seem to raise the bar higher each time I see them. Plus I hold a secret  
grudge against them, since I feel that they're the ones to blame for the family obligations  
that have made Mom and Dad so unhappy. All my uncles, except for one, act like they own  
the place when they come over. All they do is crack open beers and drink themselves into  
oblivion, which also ends in them breaking stuff. I'm lucky to have that one "cool" uncle  
who's really down to Earth and knows what the younger generations are into. I used to cling  
to him for the duration of family gatherings whenever I couldn't find my parents. It seemed  
like a cruel joke on the world that he would also be the uncle who died from a spontaneous  
illness. My aunts like to pretend I don't exist. They, along with my mom, are always huddled  
together in a corner to socialize among themselves, like they're apart of some sort of super  
secret, selective organization. And while I am the third oldest of all of my cousins, I'm such  
a distant age from all of them that I can't really connect with any of them. I'm far older than  
my little cousins and far younger than the two older than me. To me, the younger ones are  
troublemakers who don't know what empathy is. Their dubious play never fail to annoy me.  
One time they even trampled my garden for fun, so they're pretty much a permanent "no-no"  
in my books. The fact that they're too young to know any better is not a valid excuse for them  
to pound my poor plants into the dirt. The two cousins that are older than me are into some_  
really_ weird kinds of stuff that they've tried __and failed to get me into, things like drugs and  
odd kinks. One time they even brought some "magazines" to show me when I was a freshman  
in high school. __I don't even want to think about it. _

_I think this is the first time I've ever gotten to vent about something, and I never realized how  
good it felt. It's like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Maybe this journal thing  
isn't such a bad idea after all._


	6. Chapter 2 - Comic

**Chapter 2 - Comic**

Like Flynn promised, he came a few hours before sundown to pick me up. There's no use resisting a burly 'mon like him, and my day is already messed up anyway, so I went to town with him without as much of a fuss as I would normally make.

Flynn had this thing where he'd treat me to something nice before going to the place where he actually wanted to take me. It was likely to lure me into a false sense of security and start thinking that the whole outing would be as innocent as he promised, or to put me in the best mood possible so I wouldn't be too disgruntled when he made me participate in his ideas of "fun". I caught on to his pattern quickly and I would tell him to cut to the chase so I could get the night over with, but this time he offered to eat dinner at the Sunkern Café, so I played along.

"Alright I already know what you're gonna say," The Flareon said with food still in his mouth, "'_Ooooh, Flynn, what awful place are you gonna take me to this time?', _did I get it right?"

"Just about." I said calmly, mentally preparing for his answer. We were seated across from eachother at a table that was right next to a huge window pane.

He leaned in closer after swallowing his food, "'Kay so apparently there's this mixer going on at campus tonight since the semester is about to begin and all the new freshmen have started showing up. Everyone's invited."

I nodded as I sipped an oran berry soda out of a straw, already not liking where this was going.

"Milo, don't you see? This is the perfect opportunity to snag yourself a nice little _chick-a-dee_. And don't worry, this won't be me setting you up with someone I know or any of that crap. All you have to do hang around, talk to some of the party goers, maybe wait for someone to approach you instead. It'll be as easy as pie, so just be yourself. Someone is bound to be interested in you." He paused abruptly to drink some water, "Except uhh… maybe don't mention that you spend all day in that garden of yours, 'cause it might make you seem… you know… _queer_."

I was too concerned about Flynn's "master plan" to be offended by his last remark. "Man, at this point you should know this is never gonna work out. The only thing I'm gonna do is make a fool of myself in front of all those Pokémon."

"Relax. Nothing but good will come outta this. I'll even keep an eye on you so no one slips you the _knockout_." He chuckled as he called for a waiter to pay the bill. "And need I remind you that you have everything going for you, especially compared to those other shut-ins in our school? You look good, you smell good, you feel good."

"That's like the third time you've said that." I rolled my eyes and slumped into my seat, "I never even wanted to do these things in the first place."

"It'll be fine. Trust me." He left a tip on the table and got up to leave. "Now, you coming or not? Oh what am I saying, of course you are!"

* * *

The party was hosted at a senior's dorm, and it wasn't a cramped, one or two room dorm that one might expect, but one of those exclusive suites that were as big as an ordinary apartment. Whoever this senior was, they probably had some connections going on that landed them such an establishment. We could already hear tons of voices before we walked in. There were even strobe lights on the ceiling, flashing a wide range of different colored beams. It made me feel like I was at a disco club.

Flynn slapped my back the second we entered, before wishing me luck with a toothy grin and then going off to mingle himself into a crowd. I already felt vulnerable the moment he vanished into a group of Pokémon playing beer pong on a pool table. I saw a makeshift snack bar, so I slowly made my way there and poured myself a drink.

_This is apple juice, right?_

I grimaced when I tasted what I guessed to be a kind of ale, or mead, and immediately replaced the liquid with tap water at a sink. One thing I've found from my nightmarish experiences with Flynn's gal friends is that I get thirsty really quickly when I try to hold a conversation. I looked around for someone to talk to and found plenty, but my anxiety prevented me from even taking a step towards them. I sighed in my own defeat and took a seat at an empty couch. I placed an elbow on the armrest and supported my head with my arm whilst scanning the whole place over.

Mabel appeared in the corner of my eye, chatting with another guy this time. It wasn't really a shock to see her here, but I was surprised to see that she had gotten over her previous episode quicker than expected, which is a good thing, I suppose. I wanted to pass the time with her, but I also didn't want to be seen around her in social gatherings like these. One of her ex's might see me talking to her and cause a scene, looking to size me up or something. She has dated a considerable amount of guys in our grade, so the possibility of one of them being here was very realistic. Not to mention that Mabel is attracted to all things manly - big muscles, deep voices, stalwart chivalry - stuff that I lack. My traits are mediocre at best, so any one of her late boyfriends would undoubtedly floor me if they wanted to. She even went out with Flynn once when she first came here, since he practically oozes out masculinity, but that apparently lasted for like a day when she found his character to be too much for her. They settled on being mere acquaintances for my sake.

_Can't really blame her._

I yawned and shifted into a more comfortable position. Maybe if I tried hard enough, I could fade into the background and fall asleep until the party's over. It shouldn't be that much of a challenge since everybody seemed to be too preoccupied with being social. I blinked slowly a few times as I reclined back onto the sofa.

"Hey there! This spot taken?"

The high pitch voice startled me, and I looked over and saw a Glameow, placing a paw on where she wanted to sit.

"Oh umm… n-no it's not. Help yourself."

"Great!" She smiled gleefully and plopped onto the sofa. I saw that her cheeks were a little red, probably from whatever she's drinking in that glass she was holding. "So, you new around here?"

"No, not exactly. I'm a sophomore here... well, I'm going to be."

"Oh really? Me too!" She scooched closer to me, "How come I haven't seen you here before?"

When I got a good look at her adorable features, my face started to feel hot. "Oh, t-that's because my friend dragged me here." I answered quickly.

"I didn't mean that silly!" She giggled, placing her cup on the floor, "I meant how come I never see you around campus. What are you studying?"

"Oh… right." I laughed nervously at my misinterpretation, taking a swig from my drink right after to hide how flustered I was getting. "I'm uhh… learning about business - economics - that kind of thing."

"Ah, that explains it! I study in the engineering wing, which is on the complete opposite side of the lecture halls."

"Oh, no wonder then." I forced another chuckle, "That's a shame, isn't it?" I looked away to place my drink on the table to the opposite side of me.

"Yeah, you're right…" When I gave my attention back to her, she was so close to me that our sides almost touched, "It really is a shame..."

My eyes grew wide when I realized what had happened, "Wha-... What are you doing?"

The Glameow pressed her body against my arm and wrapped her arms around it, "You know… you're kinda cute~." She started running a paw across my chest. "And my, my, aren't you well built. You're no slouch, huh?" She purred.

I turned more and more red with each passing moment, "H-Hey! H-H-Hold on a minute!" I stammered as I tried to lean away as far as I could from her, but I was already at the edge of the sofa.

"Why don't we get more acquainted at my place, what do you say~?" She moved her face closer to mine.

At that point I probably looked like a tomato, but I didn't care, I just wanted to be anywhere but where I was currently. I looked around frantically for anyone or anything that could help me. The only things I could find were nearby onlookers who seemed to be rooting for the Glameow more than me, or others still too busy talking among themselves to notice. I saw Flynn looking at me while doing over-enthusiastic pelvic thrusts, "_You got this!" _He mouthed.

_Curse you!_

The girl was practically on top of me now, moving in for a smooch, probably thinking that it would seal the deal. All I could do was pathetically shield my face from the inevitable, which she easily solved by holding my arms down.

_Can't you at least take me out to dinner first!?_

No! I can't be pinned down like this! There's no way she's actually into me! She's clearly intoxicated! That red glow on her face says it all! She hasn't even asked for my name yet! She clearly just wants to relieve herself!

I used this feeling of injustice to put my voice back in me. "N-No! Stop!" I yelled, pulling my arms away with all the strength I could manage and pushed her away. My anger instantly dissipated out of concern that I might have hurt her, since I had basically catapulted her to the other side of the couch. "S-Sorry! I didn't mean that! I'm just… not ready for that kinda stuff yet…" I tried to apologize.

She quickly got back on all fours and responded by slapping me. Hard. So hard in fact that I think it left an imprint on my cheek for a short while.

"What is wrong with you!? What kind of guy throws a girl like that when they're just trying to be friendly!?" She turned her back to me with a huff and padded away without a second thought. A "_hmph!" _was the last thing I heard from her before she fazed back into the crowd.

I sat up on the couch and saw all the looks from all of the witnesses, which weren't many. Some had looks of disapproval, others were sympathetic, others were still too engrossed in their own engagements that they were blissfully unaware of what just happened, including Mabel. Flynn has shaking his head. My face grew red again, this time out of shame and embarrassment. I ran out of the apartment the second I realized I was about to cry.

Being outside in the fresh, nightly air and away from the judgmental looks of my peers helped me from going into a complete mental breakdown, but it still didn't stop me from wishing I could dig myself into a hole and never come out. I sighed as I started making the trek back home.

"Hey! Wait up!" A voice boomed.

My ears perked up at the noise, but dropped back down once I saw it was from the Pokémon who brought into that dreaded place.

"What the hell just happened back there?" He questioned, "You were about to get _in_ man! Why did you just throw her off like that?"

"Didn't you see what was wrong with her? It all happened so fast and... look, there was never anything special going on between us." I replied with a shake of my head.

"What are you talking about? She was coming onto you faster than a Rapidash!"

Suddenly my disbelief turned into utter frustration. "That's not it all!" I shouted, "She was obviously drunk!"

A brow furrowed on the quizzical Flareon. "So what? Wouldn't that just improve your chances at wooing her?"

"Is that all you think about? There was nothing romantic about it at all, okay!?" I yelled with gritted teeth. "I never wanted to go to this stupid party, and I definitely didn't come here to degrade myself into some _whore _like you!"

His face wrinkled with anger, "What did you just say?"

The way Flynn somehow made himself look bigger as he stomped towards me, about to show me his wrath, knocked the sense back into me. I shouldn't have said what I said, and now this walking mass of destruction was going to show me my mistake. So naturally, I made a break for it. When I looked back while I ran, Flynn hadn't moved from his spot at all, and watched me disappear into the trees.

* * *

I slowed to a trot once I reached the town plaza, since it was on the way to my neighborhood. My heart rate returned to a normal beat, and I shivered at the chilly breeze tonight had brought. I kicked around an empty soda can that someone had littered as I evaluated my actions.

All I could think of was how I ran, ran from a girl that would have given me the "time of my life", ran from all the embarrassment I got soon after that, and how I ran from Flynn, who didn't appear to want to hurt me in the end. It was an unwelcome reminder of all the other times I ran from my problems, the most prominent of which was how I fled from my hometown, where I could've lived a safe and modest life with my parents if I just learned to put up with their incessant bickering, perhaps I could've helped them set aside their differences if I was brave enough. Not once could I remember a time where I have ever stood up for myself. All I've ever done was run from even the slightest bit of adversity.

_Have I always been such a coward?_

This has to change. I've known that for the longest time, but I can never think of a way to go about it. I had a thought where I wished that, even just once, that my parents would've been harsh to me, maybe even beat me. Then maybe that would've tempered me to be tougher.

I walked as my thoughts were filled with self-loathing. I had almost left the town premises before a gust of wind blew. It was so strong that I staggered back a bit. I squeezed my eyes shut so the cold tempest wouldn't sting them. The consequences of doing that became apparent when I let a piece of paper fly into my face. Geez, must everyone be so careless when they throw away trash?

When the wind died down, I ripped the paper off with a growl. There was a certain weight and thickness to it that led me to believe that it was a magazine or booklet, but then my annoyed expression softened when I instead found it too be a comic book. The cover page depicted what I initially thought was a silhouette running through a grassy plain, but upon closer inspection, turned out to be a Wartortle almost completely covered in black clothing, leaving only the eyes exposed.

_Ninjas?_

I twirled my head around to see if anyone was around before tucking it away.

Seeing the cover page had somehow replaced my anger with a childhood nostalgia. The cartoony, cell-shaded artstyle reminded me of how much I used to love reading comics when I was a kid. I thought it was so nerdy and dumb to like such things that I kept it a secret, even from my parents. I recalled staying late afterschool in my elementary school library to read them once I was sure no one else was there. There I'd fill my young brain with the awesome feats of superheroes. My eyes would sparkle at the slapstick action scenes, where the hero would defeat the villain and save the day.

I had run out of things to entertain myself back home and needed something to distract me from hating myself even more, so it couldn't hurt to revive a lost passion, at least for as long as no one knows about it.

* * *

It has been a week since the disaster of a party happened. Flynn has stopped talking to ever me since, and lately I've been feeling a rift between us whenever I see him go in and out of his house during my daily gardening chores. The new college term is set to start in a few days, and I was hoping that we would make up before that.

I want to take the initiative, but I was too engrossed in reading the graphic novel I found that I kept putting it off. I couldn't stop reading it. In it contained multiple short stories that the author claimed to have actually happened way back when. Whether that really was the case or not, I was hooked. I spent my days inside my room rather than going out and absorbing the sunlight. I likely would've been an Umbreon if I hadn't found an excuse to go outside when I was younger.

I just couldn't put the book down; I wanted to keep reading. I found the intense stealth missions that the characters took part in, where getting caught would certainly spell out their doom, to be so thrilling! I was consciously aware of how much I was obsessing over it, but I was just so-

_*Knock knock*_

The sound almost made me jump off my bed, and my wondering on who it could be did indeed convince me to put my book down, just for a moment. I hid the comic under my pillow and went to open the door. I was met with a scene similar to how I first met my next door neighbor - formally, that is.

"Hey." The Flareon scratched the back of his head. "Can we talk?"

"Uhh… sure."

He gestured me to follow him. Not a word was spoken as we walked and sat by the nearby river and dipped our legs into the cool waters. I felt guilty for not being the one to ask about this sooner, so I made sure I was the one to break the silence.

"I… I'm really sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it." I shifted uncomfortably on the damp grass, "I was so caught up in everything that... I might've gotten a little too full of myself."

"Yeah, I get it now." We both continued to not make eye contact, "I was stupid, was I? For not seeing it when I should have?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for one: not everyone is like me, and two: that chick _was _kinda tipsy."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I guess."

He smiled along with me before he quickly turned serious. "Well, for that, I want to apologize. And for a while I had time to think about what you said. You're after real, intimate relationships, are you? Companionship and all that?"

"You could say that. But I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. Did you forget that I just wanted to have more confidence in myself?"

"This _is_ the best way to have more confidence in yourself." He retorted. "You goddamn beta."

"What?"

"Just look at you, you're already after permanent relationships before even realizing the responsibilities and commitments that go with it. Damn, if only women felt the same way." He said almost longingly, looking up at the blue sky above. "Honestly, I can respect that. Hell, I feel the same way sometimes..."

"Really? You? Who would've thought?" I said sarcastically, suddenly the tense situation we were in before was all gone.

"Shut up." The Flareon lightly punched my shoulder, or at least he thought it was a light jab. It actually kind of hurt. "But listen, I'm gonna let you in on a secret that I've never told anybody. But since we're such _great _friends and all, you get to have the honors."

"Okaaay..." I said skeptically, trying not to sound interested.

"Truth is, I've been smitten with a girl for longer than you've been alive."

"Are you saying you've known her since you were kids?"

"Nah, I was just exaggerating. Ever since I came here, I mean. You probably know her. She's an Espeon."

"Is it the same one that-"

"No! Oh my god, no! A different one. I'm not that easy man."

I raised a brow. "Then who is it?"

He looked at me with surprise. "You really don't know her? She's Mabel's roommate. You've definitely seen her at least once given how you're so close to her."

I thought about it for a moment, trying to picture the one and only time I visited Mabel's dorm. I was successful in recalling that her roommate was indeed a psychic-type cousin of ours. She definitely was beautiful, but there was something about her that I just couldn't describe. Being within just a few feet from her made me feel uneasy, and my first impression of her was that she didn't seem to enjoy my company, and probably any other Pokémon, for that matter. I know my observations are usually accurate in these regards - it's one of the perks of being an introvert. "Really? She's the one you like? I can't imagine anybody getting close to her."

"That's what makes them so damn alluring! I bet like half the guys in the _entire _school have tried to get in between those legs! None of them were able to do it, but I'm not going to be one of them!" He threw himself onto his back and sighed. "Like... damn bro... I want to be with her..." He said distantly.

"How come you go around wooing other girls then?"

"Well, believe or not, I used to be like you."

This time I almost broke into a full on laugh, "What? No way."

"I'm serious, though I never had a plant fetish like you, but you wanna know how I am who I am today? I put myself out there, so I could be more proud of who I am." He sat back up. "And so we've come full circle. I'm telling you man, if you wanna be more confident and worthy in the eyes of women, you gotta go out there and start having fun."

"But I'm really not cut out for this kind of stuff. And how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not trying to look more worthy in the eyes of-"

"Out of the question. Everyone has a reason to have more self-esteem. C'mon, think of one."

I donned a thoughtful expression for a second time, "I mean… I do want to be less bashful."

"Bingo. That's why I'm here to help you."

"But I'm pretty much rendered useless against any stranger I try to talk to, much less to a girl."

"Don't be such a downer man, look at me for crying out loud, I used to be just like you and I've pulled myself outta there. There's always a way out."

I looked down at my reflection in the river. "I'm not so sure about that. I mean, what can I do?"

"You can…" Flynn bit his lip as he stopped to think. "I dunno, I still say my plan is the best."

"But that's your way of doing it. I'm different from you, so I need a different way of doing it." I rebutted, "Unless…" I murmured, placing a paw on my chin,

_Wait…_

An idea clicked in my head. It was an idea so great that it got me excited. It was so perfect for me that I got up and started making a mad dash back home.

"Flynn! I just had an idea!" I said impatiently. "Thanks for the talk, but I gotta go!" I was already yards away from him before he could react.

"Wait! What is it!?" He almost whined.

I barely heard what he said, for I had already made it to my backyard, where I hopped the fence into my garden and slammed the backdoor behind me. Plans like these come only once in a lifetime, and it'd be crazy not to act on it.

* * *

**Thanks a ton for tuning in! Hope to see you all back here soon!**


	7. Chapter 3 - Hero

**Chapter 3 - Hero**

I rushed into my bedroom and took out the comic book from under my pillow. I realized that these… _ninjas_, embodied everything I wanted to be. They were brave, cunning, and characterized by the lack of attention they draw toward themselves, unlike their samurai counterparts. Their strong wills and confidence in their capabilities are what I strive to feel about myself. They demonstrate their skills without others noticing, which is also a huge plus for me. I have always crumpled under pressure. Getting called on to read a simple textbook passage in front of my class back in highschool was more than enough to turn me red. I just want to feel better about myself, and I don't necessarily need others to feel the same way. As good as praise can be, I'd get all flattered and timid at the same time, which is what I don't want. I yearn for the day where I can look back on what I did in a scary situation and feel proud, instead of feeling like a wimp for running away, and to do so without drawing too much attention would be all the better.

_Why didn't I think of this sooner?_

There are lots of requirements to becoming such masters of espionage. Running and climbing and hopping from branch to branch on treetops at breakneck speeds are just a few examples. I don't intend to replicate those arts completely, but it'd be nice to get a passing grade, so to speak.

The first step is to come up with a disguise and remain incognito at all times. I'm well aware of how odd this plan would appear to any Pokémon that has even the tiniest grasp on society and their current views. If anybody found out about this foolish endeavor, it'd mean the end of my dignity and social life in more ways than one. The embarrassment would be unbearable, and I'd be labelled a geek for trying to imitate a silly comic book character for the rest of my life. All this _had _to be a secret, no one can know.

Buying and wearing a full-on suit and balaclava would obviously raise suspicions. A scarf should be a suitable replacement for covering my face, so I picked up my pouch of Poké off my nightstand and set off to the local tailor.

"Hold it right there, _buddy_." A Flareon said with authority, holding a paw out that I almost ran into when I opened my front door. He was still panting heavily from running after my sudden flight.

"Whoa, Flynn, you really gotta stop waiting outside my door like that."

"Can you blame me? You just up and left without telling me what you had in mind." He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"Why does it matter to you?"

"What do you mean 'why's it matter'? I'm your bro, and I'm trying to help you feel better about yourself. Least I can do is judge how good this plan of yours is." He nodded at the coin pouch I was holding, "What's that for? That part of your idea?"

"Well I uhh…" I stuttered, my mind was spinning to come up with a valid excuse.

_Think Milo! Think!_

"I-It turns out my plan was a pretty bad idea, so I thought I'd go out for lunch to clear my thoughts."

Flynn squinted at me, but then loosened up, "Huh, shame. What was so bad about it anyway?"

"Oh uhh… i-it umm… I was thinking that I should make gift baskets for whoever I try to make friends with, just like how I introduced myself to you and our neighbors." I might've said that too quickly. "But that obviously would've been too expensive in the long run, so I dropped it."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." The fire-type eeveelution shrugged, "Whelp, off you go then. Have fun." He replied coolly, then went off on his merry way.

"Okay, see you around." I let out a sigh of relief when he was out of earshot. I made a reminder to pat myself on the back later for that excuse.

* * *

I padded out of the tailor store in town feeling satisfied. I bought a scarf made out of cotton since it would be easier to breath through. The color of it was dark gray - practically gunmetal - and I was certain that it would do the job in keeping me unrecognizable. I was hoping that I'd find a black one, but they didn't have any, so I opted to get the next best thing. Only thing left to do now was to make a casual stroll back to my house and relax until evening.

I stopped at the fountain in the plaza to rest, which is frequently advertised as the very center of the town. I sat on a lonely bench and watched waves of shoppers fly by. I noticed a duo of familiar-looking Pokémon during my survey, one of which ended up noticing me too, causing their expression to turn into delight.

"Milo, is that you?"

"Oh, hi Mabel." I waved. When I noticed that her travelling companion also happened to be Flynn's secret crush, I gulped.

"Who would've thought I'd see you here! Since when did you start going out by yourself?" The fellow Leafeon inquired cheerily.

"I've always been doing this, and this time I was just running a few errands." I tried to say casually, but it was a lot harder to do when her Espeon companion was glaring daggers at me.

Mabel saw how uncomfortable I was and tried to break the ice, "Oh! You two haven't officially met yet. Milo, this is Joy. Joy, this is Milo."

_Fitting name._

"Umm… hey?" I greeted.

"Hey." She said blankly. Even though her voice was feminine, the way she said such a simple greeting made me shrink into my seat.

"You have to act so scared Milo," Mabel giggled, "She's just a little grumpy that I pulled her out of our dorm. Can't you be a little bit nicer to him, Joy?"

"Sure."

"Right…" Mabel sweatdropped, "So Milo, wanna hang out with us? I've been meaning to return the favor from last week."

"You mean… right now?"

"Of course, silly! C'mon, have you had lunch yet?"

"Yeah," I lied, "This isn't really a good time."

"How come?"

"Because I'm… I'm sorta busy. Look, just consider that favor taken care off. It's what friends do."

"No way! If we're friends, then another thing we do is hang out!"

"But-"

"Don't you have any room for a _Special Sunkern Milkshake Deluxe_?" Almost instantaneously, her words invoked a growl from my stomach. I blushed from my body's reaction and looked up to see a victorious grin on Mabel's face. "Gotcha~." She hummed.

* * *

And so I sat at my favorite diner, sitting on a cushioned chair with a good friend and someone who looks like the only thing keeping her from stabbing me with the fork in front of her is common decency.

I quietly drank from my cold, milky beverage while listening to Mabel talk about random things. I did so why trying my best not to meet eyes with the pink eeveelution right in front of me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was staring directly at me. The thought didn't really help how calm I was trying to be. It was moments like these that made me desperately wish to have the stoic personality of a ninja.

_You smell funny. Why is that?_

Oh geez, have I really gotten so crazy with nervousness that I'm hearing voices in my head? And a sassy one, no less? I grumbled under my breath as I continued slurping my savory treat. I never should've went along with this.

_Hello? You there?_

I realized that the voice sounded like it was right next to me. I twirled my head around to see who else was talking to me but saw no one. Maybe I'm confusing Mabel's words into sentences of my own?

_Are you stupid or something? I'm right in front of you._

I looked in said direction and saw no one but Joy. Her expression had remained completely unchanged from when we first got here. She was also sipping a milkshake out of a straw too. We all ordered the same thing.

"What?" I let out, confused. There was no way Joy was talking to me, her mouth was not moving at all.

_Idiot! I'm not talking to you physically. I'm talking to you through our minds._

"What's 'what?'" Mabel asked. I told her it was nothing and she continued rambling. This time I was only pretending to listen to her.

_How are you doing that? _

_Telepathy, duh._

_Whoa, really? Can you read my mind too?_

_No. _

_Oh. _Suddenly I wished I became an Espeon. _Okay, so, why are you talking to me like this?_

'_Cause it's easier this way._

_..._

_..._

_You know, I've heard a lot about you. From a friend, let's just say._

_Same here, but from Mabel. How long have you two known eachother, by the way?_

_Since a few weeks after I first got here. Why?_

_Just asking. What do you know about me?_

_That you're… you're…_

_Cold and heartless? I get that a lot since I don't like to talk very much._

_How come you're talking to me now?_

_Because I'm bored, and you piqued my interest since you're Mabel's friend. Let's just say that._

_Then why didn't you speak to me when I first came to your dorm?_

_I have my reasons._

_Okay…_

_You still haven't answered my first question. Why do you smell like berries and flowers? It's starting to put me off._

_Umm… I'm sorry?_

_No, I meant, like… nevermind. _She shifted her gaze away from me.

_Oh… well, it's because I work with them pretty much everyday._

_Where? There's no botanist around here._

_I have a garden back at my place._

_Hmm, neat. So, do you like Mabel? _

_Yeah, she's really nice to me. We're always there for eachother._

_No dummy, I meant do you "like like" her?_

_No..?_

_Oh, so are you gay then?_

_What!? No! Of course I'm not! Why would you even ask that?_

_Just curious. You're the only guy friend she has._

_... Really?_

"Milo? Milo, you there?" Mabel waved a paw in front of my face.

I blinked myself back into reality, "Wha…?"

"Are you listening to me?"

"What? I mean… yeah, yeah I am."

"What did I just say then?"

"Umm… something about guys?"

The Leafeon groaned, "No, silly, I was asking how that milkshake was."

"Oh… right. It's good. Thanks." I murmured in defeat, my cheeks already starting to warm up.

For just a split-second, I could've sworn I saw a smirk on that Espeon's face.

* * *

I was home with my scarf at last, which Mabel had surprisingly failed to ask about. I guess she was too caught up with her own affairs to bother. Despite the distraction, I have gained valuable insight about Joy that I would make sure to pass on to Flynn the next time he comes to visit me in the morning. I carried out my daily chores of weeding and watering my plants before fast-forwarding the time to midnight by napping and studying how to become more like my recent idols.

_I can't believe I'm making a new persona off a comic book._

I could still go back and try to think of a less risky way to better myself, but I was too eager to stop now.

When I deemed it dark enough for me to go outside, I went out and found a spot in my backyard to start doing workouts. I can't remember the last time I've done pushups, squats, or really any kind of exercise routine, since working the fields was all the physical activity I needed, but that isn't enough to get the agility I needed to become a what I wanted to be. From then on, my new routine led to me waking up at midnight almost everyday to train. It was a hard habit to make, and really easy to deviate from. I kept telling myself that I had to keep going. This is all in my quest to feel better about myself. I have never acted on improving myself before, so I had to make my first attempt count. I didn't want to be afraid anymore.

* * *

The first semester of my second year in Cradily has ended, and there is definitely some progress going on. I don't believe that I look any different, but I feel different. One thing that's for sure was that I had the stamina of… something, the only thing I could measure was that it takes me a lot longer to break a sweat whenever I tilled soil, or do any kind of prolonged labor. Unsurprisingly, both of my best friends have begun to question why I was so sore and tired all the time, but I managed to ward off their concerns simply by saying that it was harvesting season for most of the plants in my garden. They don't know much about crops as I do, so they had no choice but to accept my reasoning. My lethargy due to the first few weeks of my nightly exercises also served as a good excuse to get out of Flynn's invitations to take me to more college outings afterschool, which is a nice bonus. If another intoxicated sophomore feels me up again, it'll be too soon.

On the other hand, when I got around to telling Flynn about my experiences with Joy and Mabel at the Sunkern Café, he was in awe. The Espeon was gorgeous, I'll give her that, but aside from physical appearances, I didn't find anything exceedingly attractive about her. Despite how my overall negative impression of her, Flynn was ecstatic when I just told him her name.

"_You don't even know her name?"_

"_Of course I don't! No one knows anything about her! Oh man, you don't know how big this is."_

"_Why don't you just ask Mabel about this stuff?"_

"_Pffft. Do you really think she's gonna tell me anything?"_

From then on, he has appointed me to be his official "inside-man" on gathering information about Joy. As his personal spy, I was to be learn all her likes and dislikes and relay them to him for his "ultimate seduction plan". The promotion has anything but voluntary, but in a lot of ways I felt like I owed him for something I couldn't really think of at the time, so I went along with it.

The task ended up being easier than I thought since Joy has started to occasionally accompany Mabel on her visits to my house, for reasons that she has remained silent about. At the same time, it was also difficult to multitask communicating with both Mabel and Joy at the same time. It didn't take long for Mabel to catch on to our telepathic conversations when I got too careless, since she is no stranger to the phenomenon either. She doesn't like to feel excluded, so things can get a little hectic. I've also found that Joy likes to recline in my hammock out back, take in the pleasant aromas of my garden, and eavesdrop on the drama going on inside between me and Mabel. Some of which she ends up causing in the first place with her destructive one-liners, and then she just sits back and enjoys the mayhem.

"_Hey, you know Milo has a thing for normal-type Pokémon?"_

"_What? Milo, you've never told me this! And why'd you tell Joy instead of me? I can set you up with a ton of friends I know!"_

"_Wait what!? When did I say anything about that?"_

"_Here, look at this picture! Isn't she cute? What about her? How about this girl?"_

"_H-Hey__! Hold on a minute!"_

I don't know what Joy's motives even are. Is this fun to her? Is she a sadist? Or is she doing it just because? The world may never know, and all I have to go on are the ways she looks at me sometimes before she tries something. One time she gave me a wink after saying a clever remark - the damn troublemaker.

I told Flynn all about what I've learned, both the good and the bad, mostly bad. No matter what I say, even if I call her the devil in disguise, he seems to fall more head over heels over her. When I said that she liked to hang around my garden, he came up with a plan to "coincidentally_"_ show up at the same time Mabel and Joy come to hang out. That didn't really work out, though, as Flynn ended up having Beautiflies in his stomach and could only admire her from afar and behind a tree. It was the first time I've ever seen him like that.

Anyway, those were what my days were filled with for a while: go to my lectures, deal with any and all of the antics that show up to interrupt my siestas, and train hard under the cover of darkness. I was already feeling more confident in my abilities than I was back before my second year started. If I can exercise for hours in the night until my limbs were as stiff as wet noodles, how much harder can it be to talk to strangers? Technically, with that philosophy in mind, my core goal was complete, but I had a inexplicable desire to keep going. There was something I wanted to try, and as much as I'd like to say it's to see how far I can go, it wouldn't be entirely true. Seeing those stealthy daredevils leap from tree to tree on branches honestly looked kind of fun, and I wanted to see if it was actually possible. It's a lot more selfish than my initial purpose, but I didn't see anything wrong with trying to get some entertainment out of what I was doing. I just had to muster up the courage to climb a tree.

Since I'm more likely to be seen for these practices, I thought it best to finally don my scarf in case anyone witnesses me climbing a tree like some village buffoon. I pulled it out of one of my bedroom drawers, hidden underneath some papers, and wrapped it around my neck until it covered my mouth and nose. The top of my head is still visible, but my features there shouldn't distinguish me too much. There are plenty of other Leafeons living here. The accessory ended up being longer than I thought, and I had to stand on my hind legs just so the leftover scarf area would reach down to my waist instead of the floor. I was planning to stand on two anyway, as I've yet to see any quadruped ninjas. I don't really know why, but the feeling that I was now anonymous simply by hiding behind some cloth made me feel like I was unstoppable.

_Is this why superheroes wear signature costumes?_

I spent the whole two-week break in between semesters in a secluded spot in the forest, climbing trees and injuring myself after each fall I took trying to keep my balance on various tree limbs. Dexterity is a key aspect in tree hopping, but that was pretty difficult to master since my reflexes were pretty poor to start. My judgement was also poor on deciding which branches were sturdy enough to support my weight. I had a headstart on my body workouts since I already possessed some level of fitness, but this was like starting from the bottom.

The trees can obviously get pretty high in Cradle Town as well, and the views from atop them are breathtaking. The sights alone made all the bruises I've accumulated worth it. It's not the scariest thing to be so high up too, I've been through more mentally scarring scenarios thanks to Flynn, and my feline-like anatomy protects me from heights that'd be otherwise fatal to other kinds of Pokémon. And it's common knowledge that rolling can help break a fall. I still walk away with minor scrapes, however.

Along with my fatigue, the damages I've made to myself were clearly visible, so it came as no surprise that both Flynn and Mabel were alarmed by my condition. This time, it was a lot harder to convince them that it was because of my regular gardening chores. Plants aren't really known to lay a beat down on somebody afterall. Thankfully, I was still able to come up with a good argument on the fly, though I feel like it may lead to some problems in the future.

_"What the hell happened to you? You look like you just wrestled a thorn bush!"_

_"Relax Flynn, it's just a few cuts and bruises."_

_"From what?"_

_"Nothing. I've been uhh... working out... lately."_

_"Whoa, really? Are you finally trying to impress some girls?"_

_"Erm... yeah?"_

_"Hot damn! Glad to see you're finally coming around!"_

_"Thanks... I guess?"_

_"So, tell me, who's the lucky lady?"_

_"The who?"_

_"Don't play dumb with me man! Who do you have the hots for?"_

_"Umm..."_

By the end of the vacation, combined with muscle memory and sheer determination, I eventually got the hang of keeping my balance on branches. Add one more week into the equation and I was able to jump from tree to another and stop only until I got tired instead of losing my footing. I could also conclude that it _was_ fun. The wind in my face while mid-air felt amazing! I had basically reinvented a new way to travel, since getting from point A to B is much faster than walking. The traffic up here is shared only by a few bird Pokémon who stop to roost, and hiding from them is easy thanks to all the foliage. I could only imagine how great a game of hide and seek would be up here. Tree hopping might just be my new favorite pastime.

After about a month into the second semester, I was ready to consider myself a true ancestor to the ninjas from way back. It's not a complete transformation though, since I didn't teach myself how to wield a katana and stuff like that. It's not like I'm trying to assassinate anybody, nor could I think of a way to get my paws on a weapon without turning some heads.

Nevertheless, I felt awesome! It was hard taking notes in my classes when all I could think about was the next time I was going to be up in the canopies. Have I grown back into the primitive mindset where all they did for fun in the prehistoric times was swinging on vines? Possibly. I can't deny the thrills of being so high up in the trees.

* * *

On afternoons where I felt rested and I was sure that the usual gang wouldn't or have already showed up, I would spend my days relaxing in the sun, or, of course, enjoying the sights several meters above everybody else. Sometimes I wonder why some Pokémon don't already do this. Is it really that weird? I can see much farther than I could if I was on the ground, and the breeze up here is much more refreshing. The benefits outweigh the bad, in my opinion. Maybe I could coin this new mode of transportation to someone with enough spunk, like Flynn, for example.

That, however, would have to wait for another day. Just as the sun was about to set, I encountered something rather troubling. During my usual route among the trees, I heard a shout in the distance. I had to travel quite a ways just to investigate. When I arrived, I looked down to discover that the noise was from a Sylveon. She looked about my age, and everything would've seemed normal about her if she wasn't hanging on for dear life on a small apple tree that grew on the edge of a cliff, complete with a waterfall. Unfortunately for her, she was dangling on a branch that was right above said cliff. A drop from that elevation would kill just about anyone, cat-like body structures are no exceptions, even if they landed in the river below.

_Did she just risk her life for an apple?_

Even if she had the strength to hold on forever, the thin branch she was hanging on looked like it was about to break in two, and any attempts to pull herself up would only accelerate the process. All she could do was plead for help, but given that we were on the far outskirts of town, she was lucky that even I happened to hear it. Seeing her in such a dangerous state left me rooted in place. If I tried to help her, we'd most certainly be sharing the same grave.

I heard the branch begin to crackle, and tears began to stream from the girl's face as she cried out even louder, but no one else came. I gritted my teeth. Every part of me was screaming to go help her, but I couldn't move from my spot. Helping her would be a fool's errand. The only thing I could do was comfort her in knowing that I would share the same fate if I tried anything.

Another unpleasant sound emitted from the branch. The Sylveon screamed.

_C'mon! Do something! I can't run away! Never again!_

The branch finally snapped, and the fairy-type plummeted.

The horrific sight made my instincts take over, and my legs sprung into action. At that point, I was in an adrenaline rush. The next series of events were a blur, even to me. I leaped down from my tree and dove down the cliff, catching her as she fell. Her scrawny build made her lighter than I anticipated, which made carrying her all the more easier. I landed on a protruding rock face that I spotted during my dive and quickly made my way back up by jumping up to similar platforms. I gently laid her on the grass next to the apple tree and retreated back into the cover of darkness. All of that was done before she could register what had happened, and me too, for that matter.

"W-Wait! Come back!" Was the last thing I heard from her before I scrambled back up into the tree lines.

When I was back to being hidden, I felt dizzy and weak. My body was working autonomously as I hurried back home. After shutting the door behind me, I pulled my scarf down to my neck so I could breathe easier, and I collapsed onto the floor with my back against the door.

"Oh my god," I said to myself, surprised that I was still capable of speech. Then I began to giggle uncontrollably. I covered my eyes when tears started coming out for no reason. "Oh my god, did that just happen?"

My emotions were out of my control. I was laughing and crying and feeling like I was about to crap myself, all at the same time. I was in complete and utter hysteria, and I knew I wouldn't be stopping anytime soon.

* * *

**Thanks for reading****! **

**Please remember that your feedback is always appreciated! I understand that Milo's methods are just a _little _bit out there... perhaps even along the lines of _Naruto_ or something... but you're still going to keep reading, right chief?**


	8. Journal Entry 3

_Entry #73_

_I still can't believe it, but I saved a life! I even pinched myself several times in case  
I was dreaming, but no dice! That Sylveon could've died! I could've died! Oh man, I'm  
so glad that I never skipped leg day, or else that would've been my last day on Earth!  
Thank god nothing went wrong when it most certainly could have. And I need not to worry  
about compromising my secret identity, as I made absolutely sure she didn't see my  
face. Oh, this is fantastic! I can't stop thinking about it! I saved someone! Me! What if  
I was destined to do this? Who would've thought that some dumb comic book flying  
into my face one day would turn me into someone's guardian angel? I'm not the  
superstitious type, but what if there really is a higher being up there in the clouds,  
smiling down on me? Could it have been fate that led me to that encounter?_

_This the most I've ever been so full of myself, and I deserve it! I may of "saved"  
Flynn's life before, but that was unintentional and he could've resorted to desperation  
to keep himself alive. But for that girl I just met, it was life or death! This is great! I've  
never felt so proud of myself! That's it! I've officially done it, if I can save a life, what's  
going to stop me from becoming too self-conscious to talk to strangers?_

_Okay, I think I got the excitement out of my system. I shouldn't let this feeling make me  
too confident. I did put myself in mortal danger. It felt great, but it won't be so great if it  
becomes the death of me. It was foolish to even attempt it and I'd be more lucky to get  
struck by lightning than to have nothing go wrong in a situation like that again. I have to  
remember that keeping this new hobby of mine a secret is absolutely paramount. The last  
thing I want is to be called a nerd for the rest of my days. I'm already having trouble  
appearing masculine._

_Some other things happened too that I might as well write down. I forgot to mention it in  
my earlier entries, but I finally got to meet the mysterious mistress in my grade, who also  
happens to be the girl that Flynn has been fawning over, for some reason. I haven't found  
anything amusing about her, aside from her name, though she does have a sort of elegant  
charm to her, which I guess can be considered attractive. Maybe she grew up in a wealthy  
family? Whenever I try to get any kind of information out of her, she's always cryptic about  
it, so it must mean she's pretty reserved, and passive-aggressive to boot. __From what I've  
seen, she's also pretty close to Mabel, which may be the sole reason she even bothers to  
speak to me. She wrecks __havoc whenever she comes along with Mabel and I don't know  
why. It's almost like she's chaperoning Mabel's visits, like some doting, over-protective  
mother. Could it be that she's just being possessive over her? Does she like seeing me  
suffer? Or is this just her way of showing her friendship? Whatever the case is, she sure is  
one unique individual, and I really do hope that we can get along._


	9. Chapter 4 - Hysteria

**Chapter 4 - Hysteria**

In the coming months, my forest excursions have started becoming more frequent, thanks mostly in part to that night by the cliff. It has gone to a point where it took up nearly all of my free time. Not only was it fun and exhilarating, I was clinging on to the small hope that I could get another chance to help someone down on their luck. I even started scouting closer to town for a small time, since that's where a lot of activity takes place. The logic was there, but it turned out that everyone's too civilized to do anything dumb in public, so I returned to my normal routes.

There ended up being more than a few occasions where my prayers were answered, but none were as spectacular as I'd hoped. I've had several accounts where I managed to shove Pokémon out of harm, just before they were crushed by falling boulders or trees. I've also pulled a number of children out of raging rivers, who were in over heads as they jumped into such rapids only to start drowning. I did so in a way that was inspired by how Mabel gracefully saved my bucket a while ago. Those are only a few examples of what I did, and each time I was able to ensure that all they could see was my dashing figure. None of my rescues were ever as heart-throbbing as my first though, but that might be because I get dulled each time I do so. But the fact was still there - I was saving lives! Real, innocent lives that could have ended in an instant! It was hard not to get a little overwhelmed with how awesome it felt. I owe it all to my trusty scarf. As long as I had it on, I felt invincible!

Soon I was getting praise for my work, not directly of course, that would be bad, for me at least. Lately, when I go to town to eat out or buy some gardening supplies at a depot, I have started hearing rumors of a mysterious vigilante in the forest. Just hearing it made me feel warm inside, but I had to force myself to keep a poker face, my anxiety on getting found out was still ever present. At first I thought I was just hearing things, but an adorable Eevee girl confirmed my beliefs when she started popping up around the plaza, asking anybody if they had any eye-witness accounts of the elusive Pokémon. From what I've heard, she was the daughter of the family that ran the local newspaper. She looked the part too, since she is always seen wearing a pink newsboy cap and carrying a top-bound spiral notebook, and her pure demeanor looked more than enough to make even the grumpiest Pokémon smile. She even asked me if I knew anything. Thankfully I was able to play it cool.

"_Hey there mister! Can I ask you something?"_

"_Huh? Oh umm… sure."_

"_Have you seen or heard about the mysterious hero that's been saving some of the population around here?"_

"_Uhh… no…?"_

"_Are you sure? It's been the talk of the town for weeks!"_

"S_orry, no one really tells me these things."_

"_Hmm… yeah alright. Thank you for you time mister!" _

I caught a glimpse of her notes when she interviewed me, and she had certainly been doing her homework, even though I judged her age to be a middle schooler at the most. She knew that this certain someone was a Leafeon, wore a gray scarf, appears sometime in the afternoon, and always swoops down from the trees. The fact that she knew the appearance didn't surprise me. Despite my attempts to remain unseen, anyone could see that if they looked hard enough. More importantly, her last two findings were what I found to be alarming. Looks like I have to be more cautious.

I returned home to find two friends waiting outside my door - one old and one new, at least I hope I'm right about the latter. The former looked like they were dying to tell me something. Mabel waved when I approached, "Hey Milo! What's gotten you so happy today?"

I stopped my whistling, which I wasn't even aware that I was doing since I was too preoccupied with carrying a big grain bag filled with fertilizer. "Oh, it's nothing. What are you guys doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? There's a new mystery we have to solve." The Leafeon started moving her arms dramatically, "The _mysterious hero of the woods_" She said in an almost haunting voice.

"Yeah." Joy said plainly, but then covered her nose when I walked past them to open the door and let them in.

_Eeeeew! Why does that bag smell like it's filled with shit!?_

_That's because it is._

_Ugghh._

I dropped off the bag right outside my back door and washed the smell of compost off myself at my water trough, then went back to find Mabel reclining on my living room sofa. Joy had already took it upon herself to crack a window and stick her head out of it.

"So… is this _hero_ the one that's been saving everybody lately?"

"Yes! So you _have_ heard about it!" Mabel exclaimed,

"Hard not to."

"Who'd you hear it from?"

"I've uhh… heard things, like around the markets and stuff."

Mabel rolled her eyes, "Oh of course, that's what everybody says." Her posture changed into a proud one, "_I_ happened to hear it from one of my close friends, and would you believe me if I said that they were one of the first ones who got saved by him?"

"How do you know it's a '_he_'? And who are you talking about?"

"All you need to know is that she's a Sylveon, and she claims that it was a boy our age!"

"And how does she know that?"

"Because he was carrying her in her arms! Isn't that so romantic?" The female Leafeon said dreamily with paws on both of her cheeks.

I realized that I was holding my breath for some reason, so I paused for a moment to loosen up. "... I guess so."

Mabel sprawled herself onto the couch and stretched, "Oh, it must be nice to be carried off into the sunset like that." She said dreamily. "I wish I could meet him."

_I don't think that was what happened._

I wandered over to my pantry and snacked on a Sitrus berry. "Right..." I murmured.

Joy turned her head, choosing now to be a good time to chime in. "Milo, why are you being so quiet all of a sudden? Do you know something we don't?"

Her remark almost made me choke on my food. Mabel practically launched herself from her prone position on the couch and was suddenly in my face with stars in her eyes.

"Joy's onto something! You do know something right?" She moved her head her so close to mine that I had to start leaning backwards to avoid a collision. "Right?"

"Whoa! H-Hold on! I don't know anything at all!" I panicked. From the corner of my eye, I could see the devious smirk the Espeon had on her face.

_Why would you say something like that!?_

_Just because._

I went to bed after managing to convince them that I was simply weirded out by Mabel's fantasies, being that I'm a guy and all. And after listening to a few more speculations, they finally left and gave me time to breath, though I doubt it would be the last I'd hear of it.

* * *

A couple days later, one of my mornings began with me getting an earful of Flynn's perspective on the rumors. He dismissed them by saying that this "_faggot"_ was just some hotshot trying to show off. His predictions on who it could be were among students in Cradily that didn't include me, so I didn't pay too much attention to what he said after that. Before he left, he also asked me to notify him of the next time Joy and Mabel would come over. He declared that the next time was going to be when he would work up the courage to talk to Joy. He said he's not going to attempt anything, but just to try to "get a feel for her vibes". Honestly, if he can keep Joy from ruining a good conversation between Mabel and I, then I'm all for it.

_Why is Joy like that anyway__?_

The exchange with the Flareon made me realize that my house was becoming the designated meeting place for all of us, and I wasn't sure what to think of that.

I started skipping about in the trees later that morning instead of the afternoon, just so I could throw off the little reporter that was on my tail. I knew I had to cut my routine short, since my friends may come at noon and notice my absence. Another fool tactic I did was to veer off my usual course. And thank god I did, as I heard a scream from a direction that was normally quiet, since it was towards the college grounds. This scream, however, sounded way too familiar to me. There's no way I was mistaken on who it belongs to, but it still did not prepare me for what I was about to discover.

Down below, in a tiny clearing, I saw Mabel backed up against a tree. Two huge guys stood above her - a Golduck and a Drowzee. I've never seen them before, neither have I seen them around campus. They also looked middle aged, so what they were doing around here was anyone's guess. At first, I thought that they were feral Pokémon that wandered off from a mystery dungeon. The chances of that were slim, since we were far away from any of those, so maybe they were just a pair of angry, violent drunkards.

I probably shouldn't, but I decided to keep my cool, stay in my little hiding spot, and continue to spectate. Most Pokémon would immediately assume that a situation looking like this would be bad. Raping, harassing, or assaulting, would be the first conclusions that someone would make, but I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and wait a little longer. I smiled at my fair judgement.

_Good samaritans could learn a thing or two from just being more well informed about the situation._

Then I saw the Drowzee smack her, and the Golduck barked at her in a malicious tone. Mabel fell to the ground with a yelp.

_Or… maybe not._

Have I always seen the good in everybody's hearts? Yes. Will I continue to see it that way? Probably. Have I grown too confident with my "ninja" abilities? Maybe, but what I was about to do might change that. With the rage that had built up in my veins, I jumped down and sucker punched both of the assailants right in their jaws. They flopped onto the grass after that, completely unconscious. My over-satisfaction in myself led me to pause and observe my handiwork, which proved to be a mistake once I accidentally made eye-contact with the baffled girl in front of me. I quickly turned my back to her when I saw her gasp. My mind spun as I tried to think of a way to distract her.

I cleared my throat and summoned the deepest voice I could muster. "*_Ahem*_, don't worry fellow citizen. You're safe now. I've got this situation taken care of, so... run along."

I sensed her nod in compliance with a "_Mm hm!"_, and then she scrambled to her paws and scurried off. She must've still been in shock.

_Holy crap! That actually worked!_

My small victory quickly died out of the embarrassment that I had basically quoted a generic superhero line, and also out of the paranoia that she still might've recognized me.

_Judging from where she ran… oh no..._

I bolted off the same way she went, running as fast as my legs would take me. My panic almost caused me to trip over the two bodies on the ground too. I took a shortcut so I wouldn't run into Mabel. Thanks to that knowledge, I was able to make it to her likely destination before her. I've known Mabel long enough to know that whenever something unbelievable happens, I was to be the first Pokémon to hear about it. It's become an unofficial job of mine to calm her down before she does something foolish, because "loose lips, sink ships" and all that. Now that there's a chance that my secret identity has been compromised, courtesy of her, and there's no telling what she might do.

I practically breached into my own home as I rushed to get inside. I ripped off my scarf and messily crammed it into my bedroom drawer.

"Milo! Milo! Milooooooooo!" I heard Mabel shouting from the distance, even from inside.

_Crap! She knows! She knows!_

I felt like I was going to get a heart attack as I rushed to wash myself quickly and tidy up my living room to make it seem like I never went out.

I heard a loud bang then. Did she just headbutt my door? "Milooooo! Open up!"

I almost did a comical slip and slide as I hurried to answer the door, taking a deep breath right before.

_"Oh, hey Mabel, what brings you here?"_ Is what I tried to say, but before I could even let out the first word, I was tackled and trampled onto the floor by a one-girl stampede.

"Milo!" She screamed as she did so, then looked around once she was inside. "Wait, where'd you go?" She said whilst surveying the house interior, puzzled.

"Down here…" I groaned in pain, "Oww…"

"What are you doing on the floor? Get up! You won't believe what I'm about to tell you!"

I staggered up and rubbed the spot where she stepped on me. I saw the bruise on her forehead where the Drowsee hit her. "What happened there?" I pointed.

Whatever she was going to say, it was exciting her to the point where she couldn't keep still. "That's what I'm getting to. You don't have to believe me but just hear me out!"

"Okay, what is it?" I asked warily. She was shaking so much that she looked like a crazed boy band fanatic.

"Remember when I said I wanted to see the Pokémon we were talking about a few days ago? Well guess what? I saw _him_! He saved me and I saw _him_!" She wheezed, "It happened right outside campus!"

The way she said those words didn't imply she knew it who was, and I nearly collapsed back onto the floor with relief.

"Who'd you see?"

"You know, _him_! The guy with the scarf! The _mysterious hero of the woods!_ Like, oh my god, Milo! Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! I'm freaking out right now!"

"Hey, easy, _easy_ there. One at a time, okay?" I gestured calmly.

She took a deep breath, "Yeah… yeah, you're right." She sat down in an armchair, only to stand right back up again. "Okay so I'm like, walking out of my dorm to get a few things, right? And suddenly, these two guys jumped me! Like, honestly, you had to be there to believe it!"

_I was._

"Slow down a bit, I still can't understand you."

She paused to breath once more, and then moved to lay down on my couch to try to calm herself. "_Whew_. Okay. So basically I was about to get mugged, or maybe worse! And just as I was about to get like, seriously hurt, _he _came to rescue me!" She let out a distant sigh. "Oh Milo, I think I'm in love!"

I suddenly grew tense. "What?"

"I've fallen for him, Milo! He saved my life! He took those baddies out, just for me! And he looked so big and strong when he did it! Oh, and his eyes! _His _eyes! They looked so intense! And his voice was so handsome!"

"How can you fall for someone you've just met?"

"I could have died! I owe my life to him!"

"That doesn't mean-"

"You wouldn't understand! He's the one I'm destined to be with!" She grabbed one of my couch cushions and moaned loudly into it. "Oh, I just want him to take me into his _strong _arms and have his way with me!" She giggled.

"Uhh…"

"Oh Milo, I don't think I've ever felt this way about any other boy!" She squeezed her cheeks in an attempt to contain herself.

My gut started to feel like someone had twisted it a bunch of times. "Mabel, I _really_ don't think you should be telling me this..."

She suddenly hopped off the couch and took a running stance. "You're right! I have to tell my other friends about this!"

"No, that's not what I-"

"Bye Milo! See you later!"

She dashed out my door before I could stop her. She was gone as quick as she came in, leaving me alone with my jumbled thoughts and emotions. I stared at my open doorway for a while before arching forward and covering my face with my paws.

_What just happened?_

* * *

I laid in my garden hammock a few hours after Mabel had left. I tried to make sense of all that's happened so far, but I just can't even begin to comprehend it all. Mabel's outburst finally made me realize what I've done.

The whole town is in a tizzy! The rumors about the vigilante has spread around long enough that everyone is on high alert, so it's been getting quite dangerous for me to go out recently. I even remembered seeing little kids form search parties to go looking for the forest savior. It might be all fun and games for them, but it kinda conveyed the message that I was being hunted down, and that's not really a pleasant thought. My fellow schoolmates are also talking about it, since the approximate age of this _ninja_ had become common knowledge. Some have gone as far as accusing others. I was off the radar though, since there's no way a quiet nobody like me could possibly be capable of saving even a single Pokémon's hide. I have been putting off these warnings for too long, and now I'm finally starting to see the repercussions of my actions.

I think the best thing to do is to just lie low, maybe even forever. Nothing ever goes on around this remote little town, so when something exciting as this pops up, everyone's all riled up and I don't suspect they'll forget about it so easily. I wasn't as worried as much as I thought I would be, and that consciousness made me feel proud. It must be a sign of that I really was getting more confident in myself. Thanks to all my accomplishments, I feel like a new man! I feel a lot better about myself overall, so the purposes of being on overwatch and keeping the town safe are a bit pointless for me now. It might be time to settle back into my old lifestyle.

_Maybe I could come up with a new hobby. Meditating sounds pretty cool._

I stared blankly at the clear blue sky above and breathed fresh air into my lungs. This truly is relaxing. How could I forget such peaceful moments like these? It's decided, it's time to hang up the ol' scarf, clean up my mess, and go back to basking in the sunlight. I yawned and shifted into a more comfortable position in my hammock.

_That can always wait, a good nap is what I need._

_..._

_..._

_..._

"Hey mister! Fancy seeing you here!"

I opened an eyelid that I just closed minutes ago to see the Eevee reporter from a while back. She leaned on my fence with her bushy tail wagging feverishly. I would've been annoyed since she just disturbed my slumber, but the bright smile she had melted my heart.

"... Yeah?"

"Have you seen that scarf guy around here? The Pokémon around here have been saying that he always goes off in this direction."

_Man I don't need this right now._

"Hmm... now that you mention it, I think I have." I randomly pointed a paw at the woods behind me, "I've been seeing a blurry figure hurrying by around there a few times. Maybe you should go check it out."

The Eevee's face beamed. It hurt to have to lie to that smile. "Really? Wow, thanks mister!"

I couldn't resist the urge to pet her fluffy little head, "Don't mention it kiddo. Now, off you go!"

She gave an energetic nod and bounded towards the area I pointed. When she was out of sight, I dropped my head back into my suspended mattress. I tried to go back to sleep, but it proved to be futile, as my mind suddenly began to fill with concern on just how I was going to deal with Mabel and her new crush.

_Oh, what am I going to do?_

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts on this story, so please leave a review if you'd like!**


	10. Chapter 5 - Reverence

**Chapter 5 - Reverence**

I spent the rest of my second semester feeling like I was going to lose my mind. Even though I stopped my treks up in the trees, the town has turned itself upside down on its search for the vigilante. Maybe I'm exaggerating, maybe I'm not. One thing for sure is that the local newspaper isn't really helping to stop it. All they report nowadays is who this mysterious Pokémon could be. Their publications are probably the reason why nearly everyone I pass by in the forest is looking skywards. Any member of my species of a masculine persuasion is eyed with suspicion, obviously not to the point of prejudice, more like to the point of veneration or something, but it's kind of uncomfortable when everyone keeps looking over their shoulders at you.

This town-wide crackdown is not only driving me crazy, but also affecting me on a personal level. Joy squints at me more than she already does, and just being near Mabel makes me tense up. Listening to her fawn over my unknown alias is more awkward than the first time she came to cry about her romantic mishaps. Even if she was actually talking about someone else, does she ever realize how weird it is for me - a guy - to listen to her detailed fantasies?

_"Doesn't this hero that everyone's talking about sound like a total dreamboat? I even had a dream about _him _last night! We were alone together on the beach and we started making out and everything. Oh... I really wish I could meet him again..."_

_"Mabel, you're umm... getting a little too excited again...__"_

_"Oops! Sorry! I was just thinking out loud."_

_"Could you... maybe... you know, be more aware of who you're saying this to? Don't you have your other gal friends to talk to?"_

_"Hey, I said I was sorry! It was an accident! It's not my fault this guy seems like a total hunk!__"_

_"*Sigh*"_

I keep picturing the moment when Mabel finds out, if she ever does. Will we still be friends? Will she hate me? Will things ever be the same? I just can't bear to lose her friendship over some silly misunderstanding. Honestly, what did I do to deserve being put in such an unusual situation?

Flynn seems like he's the only one who's been keeping a cool head about it all, even though everyone seems like they're on a witch hunt. It might be because he's more worried about his own affairs. For some reason, no matter how many times I tell him the girls are coming over, he has yet to fulfill his promise to at least be in the same room with Joy. Trying to figure out what he sees in her is impossible. How can he act like a beacon of manliness when other women are around, but not around Joy? If I didn't know any better, I'd say Flynn's setting himself up for one big disappointment.

_Unless, there is something I'm missing, and if I am, she's really good at hiding it._

Until that bipolar Flareon makes up his mind, I can do nothing but pray that everything will blow over soon. Trying anything would only accelerate the process of me getting compromised. All I can do is wait, and watch as my paranoia rises bit by bit. Over the course of the past month, that little newsgirl has appeared at my doorstep more times than I can count, and each time I feel like she's getting a little bit closer to unveiling the truth. I'm concerned that my little diversions can only buy me time for so long. Dedicating myself to relaxation and laboring in my garden are probably the only things keeping me from going over the edge. It takes my stress away, but not all. I still find myself jumping at my own shadow or at the sound of rustling leaves whenever a breeze goes by.

Saying that I'm troubled doesn't even come close to describing how I feel. I don't care if everyone if singing tales of the hero's exploits and reveling in their deeds, because some are apparently looking to pick a fight and "try this guy out for size". What can I do? I can't even hurt a fly if I had to! Nevermind trying to sneak in a quick knockout punch like before, they never saw it coming, but these guys most certainly will! What'll happen if they find out? What if they want to _kill_ me? What if-

"Boo!"

My heart stopped for a second, and I recoiled so hard that I fell off my hammock that I was trying to nap on. Laughter followed right after, I picked my head up from the grass to see Mabel grinning ear to ear.

"Hah! Works everytime!" She snickered, "Oh Milo, don't ever change."

For a moment, I thought it was the reporter again, and relief coursed through me when that wasn't the case. Though seeing Mabel again so soon isn't exactly that much better. "Mabel, what the heck!? What do you want?"

"Listen, I have a plan to find this _mysterious hero_! It's totally fool-proof!"

_Oh, this should be good._

I got up and dusted myself off. "What is it?"

"Okay, so you know how this guy only shows up when someone's in trouble, right?"

"... Right."

"So what if I, hypothetically, were to put myself in a dangerous situation?"

I raised a brow. "Do you know how crazy that sounds? There hasn't been any new sightings of this guy ever since he saved you, what if he doesn't show up?"

"Relax, I'm not _actually_ gonna hang from the edge of a cliff or something. It's just has to be believable enough." She waved a dismissive paw in my face. "Besides, it's worth a try."

"Okay so, why are you telling me this?"

"Why do you think?" She countered before suddenly tossing me a camera, it was so out of the blue that I almost failed to catch it. "I want you to come with me. I need you to hide somewhere and snap a picture of this guy!"

I fumbled the black device, trying to figure out how to turn the thing on. "Umm… why do you need a picture? Are you going to publicize it?"

"Not exactly." I saw the faintest shade of pink appear on her cheeks, "I have a few things in mind..."

My eyes narrowed when I found her tone to be a bit unsettling. "... Okay... well, I don't think I'm the right 'mon for the job."

"What are you talking about? We're Leafeons, remember? There are tons of things in this forest that we can use as camouflage!"

"No, I'm uhh… I'm really busy today. I have to study for an exam soon."

"What exam? We just had one yesterday!"

I started to feel a little a sweaty. Can't she just get the memo that I couldn't be bothered right now? "Yeah but… I just wanna… get a headstart on the next one and all that." I handed the camera back to her. I was never able to find the "on" button, but she doesn't need to know that.

The Leafeon groaned and turned around in a sarcastic manner. "Fiiiiine, I'll just go ask Joy or something."

"Wait, are you going to do it now?"

"Of course I am! Why wait?"

A dreadful feeling welled up inside me, and I stared blankly at her figure as she padded back to campus. Whatever she's thinking, it probably won't end well. Mabel is just enough of a scatterbrain to get herself hurt somehow, especially when she's all caught up on something like this. I can't have that on my conscious, and I felt obligated to ensure nothing goes wrong, without her knowing, of course. If I wanted to keep a watchful eye on her, I would need to keep us isolated so we don't attract too much attention. I know of one secluded spot in the forest where no one typically goes, so I called out to her before she was out of earshot. I pointed to my right and told her that I've heard strange noises at night over there, which thankfully convinced her to conduct her experiment there when I said it must be nearby _his _secret hideout.

Once I was sure she was gone, I finished up garden duty and went back inside. I fished my scarf out of my drawer and wrapped it around my neck. Despite all the trouble it's caused me, I still felt a surge of courage pulsate throughout my body as I put it on. It was almost… _euphoric_.

_I can't believe I'm doing this._

* * *

Mabel and her assistant arrived at the lonely spot shortly after I did. I shrouded myself atop a tree at the edge of the grotto, which had a small pond with a large stump along its banks. Only a handful of Pokémon knew about this area, and those that do rarely show up since it's kind of swampy.

Turns out that Joy wasn't too eager to join in on Mabel's shenanigans, and probably decided to sit this one out. That Sylveon from way back had volunteered instead. I was never able to get her name, but neither have I ever been acquainted with Mabel's other friends, aside from the terrifying Espeon, and that was only by coincidence. The fairy-type eeveelution tried her best to hide in a bush, but I don't think she was aware that her tall pink ears were sticking out from the top of the shrub, not to mention that the sunlight was glinting off the lens of the camera. It was quite the hilarious display of clumsiness.

_No wonder she and Mabel are friends. They make an adorable duo._

I watched with amusement as Mabel proceeded to cannon-ball into the pond and shout as she pretended to drown, fake-stabbed herself with a stick, and, after a considerably long episode of back-and-forth arguing, had her buddy come out of her hiding spot and try to strangle her with her ribbon-like feelers. Even as she did so, the Sylveon continued to complain that she didn't want to look like the "bad guy" out of fear that the _hero_ may take her as the villain and attack her. It was hard not to at least smile at the childish spectacle. A few rebellious chuckles escaped from my throat anyway, but my scarf helped muffle the noise.

My free source of entertainment soon turned into one of horror when I saw an Eevee with a pink cap waltz up to them. The blessing that was my distance between them became an inconvenience as I could not hear what they were saying. I didn't dare try to get up close to eavesdrop, just in case that Eevee happened to have a third eye on the back of her head or something. If I had to guess, she was probably interviewing them, so it probably isn't that important anyway. My safest bet would be to back away slowly and retreat. I'm sure Mabel will be fine as long as her friend was there, even if they're both total ditz's.

I took every leap from one branch to the other with extreme caution. One wrong step could-

_*SNAP*_

My day's second attempt on giving me a heart attack began when I happened to step on a weak treelimb and caused it to break. I landed on my rump as I hit the ground. If those girls couldn't hear the "_thud"_ I made from the impact, then I can be very sure that they heard my scream during my fall. When I got up to rub my precious behind, I could already hear three sets of footsteps moving in on my location. I dove into a bush without thinking, and I made especially sure my ears weren't sticking out.

"I could've sworn I heard something here." I heard Mabel say.

"Shush! Not so loud!" The reporter hissed in her distinctively high-pitched voice. "Whoever made that sound might still be around."

"Wait… I think I smell something…" Mabel said, she sniffed as she inched closer and closer to my hiding spot. "Strange…"

I couldn't see anything through the dense bush I was in, but I could sense that Mabel was mere centimeters away from me. My heart was pounding so hard that I wondered if she could hear it.

_Crap… it's now or never!_

I flew out of the bush and bolted off in a random direction. I ran as if my life depended on it, and in some ways, it was.

"Oh my god it's _him!_" The Eevee shrieked. "Wait! Come back!"

"Stella, quick! Take a picture!"

"W-Wait! W-What button do I press?"

"Stella!"

* * *

After sprinting for a solid minute or two in a direction that was anywhere but towards my house, I hid behind a thick tree and panted heavily as I peeked my head out to see if I was being followed. I considered going up in the canopies again, but that would be too expected. There was no sign of them, but I stayed where I was for a half-hour to make extra sure. The thought of chasing after me must've never crossed their minds, which is surprising, but I'm not going to complain. After determining that I was safe, I hurried my way back home.

_I'm never doing that again._

That's it, no more being a ninja for me! I've had enough close calls to last a lifetime! I crammed my scarf deep into my drawer and vowed to never take it out again. It was fun while it lasted, but my poor heart can't take anymore of this. I reclined onto my sofa and covered my eyes with a sigh. I might've just reset the timer on when everyone calms down about this whole ordeal, now that that reporter has seen the _hero_ for the first time.

_She didn't recognize me right? Right?_

Why of all times did I have to fall!? That's easily one of the worst times for something to happen! I was just trying to make sure Mabel didn't impale herself on a rock, and this is how karma decides to repay me?

I exhaled when I noticed my growing frustration. I need to calm down before I go off on a tangent and make things worse. A good nap might just be what I need. I underestimated how tired I was, and I ended up sleeping through the entire afternoon and night.

* * *

Flynn came to visit me while I was watering my plants the next morning. His face looked grim, so this definitely wasn't going to be one of our happy-go-lucky exchanges. For once, I decided to start.

"You don't look happy."

"Yeah, I don't." He deadpanned.

"Well, you didn't just come here to tell me that, right?"

"Yeah man, you see, I've been hearing things. Be real with me here."

The way he said those words made ears perked up from alarm and I looked at him with wide eyes. Crap, did that Eevee find out who I was? Has the news spread like wildfire while I was asleep?

"Uhh… is this about Joy or…?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Of course dude. What else would I be talking about?"

My body loosened back up. Hoo boy, yesterday has really given me the jitters. "So… did something happen?"

"No, but apparently she's going to go study abroad this summer."

"So what? It's not like she's transferring to a new school."

"Yeah but, I'm not going to see her all summer! This puts a huge ass dent in all my plans." He said solemnly, unaware of the that he was hugging his bushy tail for comfort.

"What plans? By 'plans', do you mean hiding in your house whenever she and Mabel come over?"

"That's why I'm here, I'm gonna show up this time. You _have_ to tell me the next time you guys are hanging out. Promise me."

"Okay okay, I will. You know I've always been telling you anyway." I sighed, "Why are you so worked up about this? You've been able to survive all of last year without seeing her."

"I have been seeing her last year, dude, always from afar." He turned to look at the sunny sky, "Whenever I feel down in the dumps, a glimpse of her is all I need to give me the strength to go on. And how can I do that when she's gone for the next few months?"

"Whoa, I didn't think you were _that _into her."

"Yeah well, I am." He glared. "So it would mean a lot to me if you do this for me."

"I just said I will, didn't I?" I replied innocently. His composure admittedly a little frightening to me, but I was more confounded at the fact that he was capable of being sentimental. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks man." He rested a paw on my shoulder before walking off towards town. It's still weird to me when he gets all serious like that, but it does make me want to root for him.

For the rest of the day I waited for Mabel to bust through my door and start talking about yesterday for so long that her head might fall off, or my ears would start bleeding, whichever comes first. In fact, I expected her to wake me up during my long power nap. It was a pleasant surprise that she never did come however. I seized the opportunity to relax and take in the sunlight whenever I could, but deep down I was waiting for her to sneak up on me. Again, she never came, and so I went to bed with a clean state of mind. The next day was the last day of the weekend, which is when Mabel and Joy always come to hang out. I took care of my daily chores and patiently waited for them to arrive, but they never did. Perhaps they were busy with their own things today? I enjoyed the freedom of having the whole weekend to myself, it certainly helped with my sanity, given all that's been happening as of late, but I have to admit that I was a bit lonely without them.

_Have I always been so used to their company?_

I realized that the little reporter also hasn't showed up to press me at all either. Maybe she got what she wanted? Was she satisfied with all the information she had gathered? Did she think I was someone else? It might be too optimistic, but those thoughts alone made me giddy. Could it be that I'm finally in the clear? I guess it was actually a good thing to let them catch a glimpse of me, even if it did cut a few years off my lifespan. Hopefully, once that kid stops feeding information to the press, everyone will calm down after a while. I allowed these happy thoughts lull me to sleep that night.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of incessant knocking on my door. I wiped my eyes before looking at my bedside clock, the hour-hand had just about reached the midnight mark. Who could be up so late?

"Mister? Hey mister! Are you there?" A squeaky voice echoed throughout my house.

I splashed some water onto my face before going to answer the door, where I was immediately blinded by a brilliant flash of light once the door had opened all the way, and then the sensation of something furry brushing past me followed soon after. When I could finally see again, the first thing I noticed was that there was a tiny crowd of Pokémon in front of me, and I recognized them all to be members of this friendly neighborhood, except for Flynn, but he's a pretty heavy sleeper so that's to be expected. Mabel and her Sylveon companion were also among them. They all looked like they were holding their breath as they stared at me.

"Uhh… hey guys… what are you all doing here?" I said with a shaky voice. Something felt wrong.

They didn't answer, and their expressions of disbelief remained unchanged. The unnerving silence was broken when I heard sounds of ransacking going on behind me. I turned around to see another individual who has been notably absent recently. The Eevee slowly padded around my abode, holding her head low so she could sniff for a scent trail. She eventually reached a specific drawer of mine and stood up on her hind legs to slide it open, then started rifling through its contents, digging up and throwing papers and other random items behind her as she did so. My confusion quickly morphed into a panic attack.

"H-Hey! You can't just do that in somebody's home!" I yelled.

Before I could close the distance between us, she had already found what she was looking for. She held up my beloved scarf in a victorious fashion, and jumped up so high in the air that her pink hat almost came off.

"Aha! I knew it! I knew you were _him_, mister!" She said with pride.

I stopped dead in my tracks with my mouth ajar. My utter bewilderment left me unable to move, forcing me to watch as my worst nightmares were about to come true.

Collective gasps were produced by the small congregation outside when the little girl galloped out into the assembly, presenting my prized garment will a satisfied grin.

"I should have known it was you all this time! I gave you the benefit of doubt, but it was you all along, mister!" She smiled an innocent smile before pulling out her notepad out of her fluffy collar, flipped to a page with a bunch of scribbles, and showed it to me. "I didn't want to believe you were lying to me at first, but none of what you said matched up with your neighbors." She flipped to the next page. "Then you made the mistake of being lured over by your friend here." She pointed to the Leafeon in the crowd behind her, who looked like she just saw a ghost.

_I wasn't but okay._

"She said she smelled berries right before you fled, and you were the first Pokémon that came to mind!" The little Eevee began to become so excited that she was bobbing up and down, "You're the only one around here that grows a garden, but everyone that knew you didn't believe me when I said you were the _hero_, so here I am to prove how right I am!"

She had explained her entire process of exposing me, and as good as her detective skills were, I was still too much in a state of shock and denial to react to a thing she said. I looked up just in time to see Mabel's face flare up to the point where she could be mistaken for a fire-type. She screamed before she started to wildly scamper away, dragging her friend along with her.

"W-w-wait! Mabel!" The Sylveon cried, "W-Where are we going!?"

Not even a comedic spectacle like that could change how astonished I was.

_This isn't happening! This is all a bad dream! I need to wake up!_

"Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mister! You're gonna be famous once this story hits the shelves!" The girl yipped with delight.

I stood as still as stone as the ecstatic reporter dropped my scarf in front of me, snapped a second picture with another blinding flash of her camera, and then skipped off into the dark woods while humming a cheery tune. It was like she didn't just humiliate someone seconds ago.

My disorientation at what was happening continued to rise until my mind and awareness of what is going on around me went completely blank. When I came back to my senses, the rest of the onlookers had already gone back into their homes, but there were still lights shining out from their windows. Were they still watching me?

I went back into my dwelling and quietly shut the door behind me. I felt like my emotions were dulled, like I had lost the will to do anything. I laid back down on my bed and stared at my clock. Roughly ten minutes had passed, and that was all it took for my life to start crumbling before me. After a long period of starting at the ceiling, I started to tremble uncontrollably. Even when I pulled my blankets over me and squeezed my eyes shut to try to go back to sleep, I still couldn't stop shivering.

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading! Remember that I'm always happy to read your reviews!**


	11. Chapter 6 - Unravel

**Chapter 6 - Unravel**

I couldn't sleep that night. I was shaking until the sun rose, even though I wasn't cold. I was only able to bring myself out of bed when I heard tons of voices outside. I looked out my windows to see the same gathering of my neighbors, no doubt waiting to see me again. It looks like some of them spilled the beans to some of their friends too, since I noticed that their numbers were slightly bigger. The majority of them were waving around a newspaper this time. The front page had a black and white picture of my dopey-looking face. It perfectly captured how dumbstruck I was to see that Eevee barge into my home and flaunt my secret identity like it was some toy.

_They could teach me a few things on how to invade on someone's privacy._

I don't think any of them saw me peeking, but some of them might have heard the "_clicks"_ I made by locking every possible entry point into my house. They can wait all they want, I'd sooner have a battle of wits with Joy than go out there. I'm not going to present myself to them for their amusement, or really anyone for that matter. I can't and I won't. I don't care if the weekend is over and classes start soon, I'd rather miss a few days of school than show myself to the world right now. Soon the entire population will hear about me, and while they may want to thank me for saving some of their lives, I don't want to hear it. My reasons for doing so were selfish. I only wanted to make myself feel good, and their praise won't change that idea otherwise. Besides, some are bound to laugh at me or try to size me up the second I open up my front door. I refuse to let them embarrass me! There's no way I'd be willing to face them, especially not all at once.

An hour passed and the crowd was starting to grow restless. I have to admit that their impatience was starting to frighten me. I grew terrified at the fact that they might try to force their way in. There's not much I can do if they decide to bust down my thin wooden door. What if they intend to parade me around the streets once they apprehend me? I trembled under my covers as I waited for them to breach their way in.

Thankfully, my pessimism never came to fruition, and the crowd dispersed around noon. Still, for the duration of when I was under siege, I felt like my life was in jeopardy. Even if they're gone for now, that doesn't mean it's safe to go outside.

Another round of knocking came around when I was certain that the coast was clear, but the voice that followed made me unsure if I should be feeling glad or afraid.

"Yo Milo, it's me, Flynn." The voice said tiredly, "What the hell's going on? How come all our neighbors were outside your house?"

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"It means I don't know, dumbass. I just woke up dude." I heard him yawn through the door. "You getting lynched or something?"

I scoffed, "Just go look at the news, you'll see."

"Why do you sound so pissed off?" He questioned, "Wanna let me in?"

"I'll pass. Let's just say I had a rude awakening."

He chuckled. "Ahh, so you _are_ getting lynched. Don't worry, I'm still on your side, whatever it was that you did."

"It's not like that." I exhaled heavily, "I kinda want to be alone right now. So could you please go away? Don't classes start right now for you?"

"Nah, they got cancelled."

"What? Why? Aren't finals coming up soon?"

"I dunno, but I'm not complaining. You've got me curious though, so tell you what, I'll leave you for now, but I'll come back once I figure out why everyone's so riled up."

"I'd prefer it if you don't."

"Too late, see ya!"

A few hours passed by with me staring at nothing before Flynn returned, this time with a more vigorous blow on my door.

"Oooooh man! Milo, am I hearing this right? _You're _that weird ninja guy? Everyone on campus won't stop talking about you!"

This time I refused to answer.

"Like, holy shit dude! I almost can't believe it! You couldn't even talk to girls! And now I hear that you're the one who saved a pal of mine from his crazy ex?"

"..."

"Milo, you there? Open up so I can see the man behind the scarf."

"I said I want to be alone. Just leave me be."

"Why? You beating off?"

"Flynn, I'm serious. Go away."

"Fine, but you're gonna have to tell me _all_ about it eventually."

"That's none of your business."

I sensed him shrug before he walked off. "Yeah, if you say so." He said sarcastically.

* * *

Every one of my mornings began with there being the same bunch of Pokémon outside, begging me to come out so they could congratulate me. I started ignoring any and all sounds coming through my door, including Flynn's. Even after the rally had dissipated, there'd still be someone outside half the time I look out my window. I resolved to stand my ground until everything dies down to a more comfortable level. I may be bored out of my mind, but anything's better than getting recognized. Can't they see that I just want to be left alone?

One time I tried to entertain myself by putting my scarf back on, but the pleasure that would run through me was no longer there. I didn't feel invincible anymore. I can't believe that this was what all my hard work has led to. Just a month ago I was enjoying the glory days up in the trees and feeling like I could take on the world. Now all I've been doing is hiding in a corner instead of doing anything remotely productive.

I'd love to play the waiting game, but I have learned that being indoors for so long is the method to my madness, in other words, this can't go on. I've been inside for so long it's starting to seem like the walls are closing in on me. It hasn't been a week yet and my food supplies are running low, and rationing them will only prolong the suffering of my self-induced solitary confinement. My inability to even go out into my backyard has led to one fatal flaw - my garden has started to shrivel up, so in order to restock my kitchen, I would need to go into town. I'm just not cut out for spending extended periods under a roof. I _need_ to go outside. I've become so deprived of sunlight that I think I'm starting to turn pale.

Deep down I know that it'll probably take years for me to disappear from the public eye. I'm fighting an uphill battle where, sooner or later, I'll be forced to come out, so I might as well admit it now. I'm not even going to try to stay stealthy, I'll be recognized faster than a Blitzle on overdrive. I tried to prepare myself by thinking that it won't be so bad, getting kudos for one's actions never fails to warm their heart. I just have to keep an eye out for any rabble-rousers. It's mostly the attention I'm likely to get that worries me, any kind of it will get me flustered, but the wrong kind of attention will probably make me piss myself. I _really_ hope I'm just overdramatizing how everyone will react.

I laid on my couch as I planned out my grocery list for when I would emerge. All I need is to procure enough provisions to prepare for my next hibernation period. It pained me just to think about spending another minute in my house with all the curtains closed, but this is all for the survival of my sanity. I just have to keep telling myself that this will only last until I'm no longer in the spotlight.

The next day was when, for once, fortune decided to smile upon me. My neighbors had all but disappeared from my front yard. It by no means suggests that they've given up completely, as they probably might try different approaches, but it did help me in deciding to finally come out of my shell. Perhaps when I finally do show myself, they'll stop altogether. It was only until late afternoon when I was absolutely sure that no one was around. Stepping out onto the grass for the first time in forever (and by that I mean like six days) was like walking on a cloud, and feeling the sun on my face felt like I was being blanketed in the fluffiest blanket imaginable. But this is no time to be side-tracked! I turned my head around feverishly to make sure no one was within sight, and I carried on my way to town with a modest pouch of Poké.

* * *

I arrived towards the town center unnoticed, so that was a good start. However, my belief that this would be a smooth ride ended quickly. I couldn't even walk onto the pavement of the plaza before the innocent little reporter girl that put me into this whole mess bounded over to me.

"Hey mister! There you are!" She said with glee. "Can I ask you some questions?"

_She wants more?!_

"Ermm… not really. I have things to do."

"C'mon mister! Don't you think that you owe me for making you famous?" She pouted, "Plus I've been waiting for ages for you to come around. Where were you anyway?"

"I've been... around."

"Hmm, you haven't been trying to hide from me, were you?"

"... No?"

"_Suuuure_ you haven't." She said with sly eyes, "Whatever, you're lucky I'm in a good mood today. So, how 'bout those questions?"

"Sorry, now is really not the time." I huffed impatiently when I noticed a crowd starting to circle around us. I looked for an opening and started walking.

"Hey, wait a sec!" The Eevee caught up, "This'll be quick! Tell me, do you like it here in Cradle Town? Do you have family outside of here? What inspired you to go around saving others?" She shoved her notepad up to my face as she prepared to record my responses.

The nerve of her to ask such personal questions! She made me an involuntary celebrity, and now she wants to capitalize on it? Choosing to respond to her will only paint a bigger target on my back, so I kept on shaking my head and tried to lose her. It took quite a while for her to finally respect my decision, before going off to pester someone else.

I wiped some sweat that had accumulated off my forehead when I was sure she was gone, and I stopped by the fountain for a breather. I scanned my surroundings to see if anyone else started to take an interest in me, but all I was able to conclude was that everyone was more focused on going about their day to even bother. The town center is also the busiest place around afterall. I sighed as got up to walk into the grocery store.

My mood was later improved after a new discovery I had made - my belief that I'd crumble under pressure of being seen wasn't as bad as I originally thought. The whole time I was shopping, tons of Pokémon came up to me and thanked me for my exploits, I even got discounts on my purchases! When I went to check my mailbox at the Pelipper Post Office, I found that it was overflowing with thank-you letters as well. Not only that, I was also given a free meal at the Sunkern Café by the owners themselves! All the niceties I was getting washed away all my concern, though I made it a point to avoid any alleyways, lest I get jumped by any shady figures hiding it them. All in all, the commendations I had gotten me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I found myself to be humming a tune as I trotted my way back home to revive my garden.

_I guess being idolized by the community isn't as bad as I thought._

* * *

With the help of Flynn letting me copy all the notes I missed, I was able to reincorporate myself back into my classes. Unfortunately, my interactions back at college sadly conformed to my initial beliefs on how I'd deal with being recognized. I stuttered a lot as I tried to act humble towards all the compliments I was getting, especially with all the sudden advances that I was starting to get from the more… _vibrant_ girls in the school. Everybody was treating me like a long-lost friend. Even the sport jockeys, who tend to act like elitists towards anybody who's not apart of their chosen athletics, were giving me slaps on the back. I had finally gotten to know what it was like to be popular, but it's something I never really wanted, so I can't say that I'm liking it. By the second day of my return, I was already wishing that I could fade back into the background. Maybe it was because they were my peers that I was getting so squeamish, rather than feeling flattered when I get comments from anybody else.

I shouldn't be surprised, but it's a little disheartening to see how Mabel has been actively avoiding me ever since she found out that _I_ was the object of her recent fantasies. She turns beet-red whenever I try to talk to her in between lectures, before making some excuse that she has to go to some club that she apparently joined. I don't blame her, I'd probably cope with the misunderstanding much worse if I were her, but I wish she could've found out about it in a better way though. It would have been way more appropriate if I was the one to break it to her. Too bad that nosy little journalist beat me to it. Speaking of which, where was she after she tried to summon the _hero of the woods_ with her Sylveon friend? Was she conspiring with the Eevee after they saw me run off? It doesn't matter now, but I sure hope the tension between us ends soon.

Soon my routines were back to normal, and instead of cowering under my bed for the past couple days like I had originally planned, I returned to reclining on my hammock and breathing in the sedative aromas my garden gave off. I was currently reading the fan mail I had gotten. A smile appeared on my face when I tore open an envelope to find a drawing of me with a scarf written with crayons, a little kid must've drawn it. There's something pure about children looking up to you that does wonders in lifting one's spirits.

I can't say the same for the next letter I opened, however. Written with pencil on lined paper with terrible penmanship, it basically taunted me into having a "one-on-one" with whoever wrote this, he or she decided to stay anonymous by not signing their name. They called me a fraud and dared me to meet at some place in town so I can prove my mettle. Reading it sent a chill down my spine. But I've already gone through the nightmare of having a horde appear right outside my door. I won't let some silly words darken my day! Besides, I've put my days of heroism behind me, so there's no point in proving myself. I crumpled up the paper and went on to read more pleasant postcards. I'm not being arrogant by brushing off such a threat, but who in this town would go through with it? The best thing I could come up with is that it was just Flynn trying to pull my leg. Whatever the case may be, I doubt anyone would act so malicious.

I yawned as I snuggled into a more comfortable position on my suspended canvas. All things considered, I think things are going to be okay. I still haven't found the time to reward myself for braving the outdoors when I was in self-exile, so I think a nap is in order. Coincidentally, my decision to get some shuteye also happened to be the exact moment for someone to sneak up on me, again. It made me wonder how I never sensed their approach.

_Well if it isn't the hero of the century._

I cracked an eye open to see an Espeon twirling her two-pronged tail right above my nose. It was so close that it even though it never actually touched, it still tingled my senses enough to make me sneeze. She smiled at the results of her tampering with my immune system. For a moment I thought I had jinxed what I was thinking earlier and the author of that sinister memo had actually decided to come for me.

"Joy? What are you doing here?"

_Oh, nothing much. _

I tilted my head to glance behind her. "Wait, how come Mabel isn't with you?"

_That's why I'm here. _She hopped my fence and wafted in the aromas coming from the crops I resurrected days ago, _And talk to me through your mind, dummy._

"But there's nobody around to-" I bit my tongue when I saw her glare at me, _I mean… yeah, right. Sorry._

She shook her head. _I wanted to talk about Mabel._

_... Go on._

_First of all, do you know what you've done to her? She's a mess!_

I held my paws up defensively, _Hey don't look at me! I wasn't the one who told her!_

_I know that already, but why did it have to be you? _

_What'd I do?_

The Espeon groaned, _Everything else pretty much! Of all the Pokémon that everyone's been making a fuss about, why did it have to be you?_

_Hey, I can't be the one at fault here! You guys weren't supposed to find out! In fact, this is all an invasion of privacy!_

_That's not the point!_ _Don't you realize how weird this is?_

_For you? What about me? Do you think I wanted all this attention?_

_Well… no. But you definitely don't understand how bad it has been for Mabel._

_I mean… I guess. How is she doing?_

Her eyes narrowed. _Are you dense? She's fallen head over heels for you!_

_What? You mean she's not mad at me? How come she never wants to talk to me then?_

_Do I have to spell everything out for you?_

_But why would she ever be into me? We've been friends ever since I came here, and she never wanted to be anything more than that._

_That's all in the past! Now she won't stop talking about the time her life was saved by some creepo ninja, and by that I mean you!_

_She couldn't have known it was me at that time. Besides, there's no way those guys back then were actually going to kill her._

_Doesn't matter. What does matter is that you need to do something about it._

_But… I'm not the guy I was months ago. It's like she's in love with someone else!_

_That's not my problem. I don't care how you do it, just make sure Mabel's back to normal._

I sighed, looks like I'm alone in this endeavor. The pink eeveelution jumped outside my enclosure. I assumed she was going to leave, but then she stopped to say one more thing. She made it blatantly obvious that she was trying to avoid eye-contact.

_Oh and… one more thing._

_What is it?_

_I… I've been wanting to thank whoever this mysterious Pokémon was. For… you know, saving Mabel and all that. _

My ears perked up. Could it be? The famously stoic Joy is actually capable of emotions, or better yet, gratitude?

_But of course it had to be you, so… _She made cautious steps towards me.

Are my eyes deceiving me? Was she blushing?

"Joy… are you…?" Without thinking, I moved my face closer to hers.

"H-Hey!" She almost barreled backwards, her face colored as much as Mabel's whenever I would get near her. _Stop it! Don't make this harder than it should be!_

I couldn't contain my excitement, and I put on a huge grin. I don't care how long she has been tormenting me whenever Mabel was around. Seeing her finally lose control of her calm and collected temper made it all worth it. It might've been the best thing to happen to me since I first moved here. Just having this one small victory over her made me ecstatic.

"Oh my god," I moved in even closer, "You're not actually going to-"

Her face flushed even more, and before I could realize that I was pushing my luck too far, she slapped me. It caught me so off guard that I staggered backwards and fell on my butt.

"What the hell are you smiling about!?" She screeched, cutting me off before I could say anything. "_Thank you_, okay?! Is that what you've been wanting to hear?!" She yelled before stomping off, back into the woods. "Now go deal with Mabel before I smack you again!"

I rubbed the spot on my cheek where her paw made contact, staring at where she disappeared from sight as well. She had slugged me so hard that I was suddenly more baffled at the fact that a petite girl like her could throw such a mean punch, more so than her finally losing her cool. I will admit that I _did_ get a little too full of myself back there.

_Whoops._

* * *

The next day, Joy went back on her word when she said she wouldn't help me with Mabel. She coached me on what to expect and what to say to her, but the obnoxious things she recommended didn't fit my character, and I ended up rejecting them. Did she really think I was going to agree on throwing myself onto Mabel and comply to all her desires, no matter what they may be? I really do want to cheer her up, but there are better ways to do it! Joy even gave me a piece of paper that listed her questionable methods to ensure I wouldn't forget them. It was a nice gesture, but I ended up throwing it away the moment she left. Not to mention that her handwriting is pretty awful, which is something I didn't expect from someone as snotty and idealistic as her. I could barely read some of the words she wrote.

Basically, I was still on my lonesome. Joy told me that she would be away from their dorm today since she had to attend a meeting for her trip on studying abroad, and made me promise that I go clear things up with Mabel while she was gone. She can talk all she wants about how it's better to get it over with rather than wasting time worrying about it (though those are some pretty good words to live by), I know she just wants to kill two birds with one stone. I wasn't too keen on sorting out this situation so soon, but at the same time I wasn't looking to get a concussion the next time I disappointed Joy either.

Unfortunately, the fear wasn't enough to get me to muster up the courage to go confront Mabel. All day, I was contemplating how exactly I was going to convey my message. I thought it would be easy, given all the times I had comforted her before with her usual relationship problems, but this was a completely different matter. This time _I_ was the villain! What cruel thing have I done in the past to be put in such a strange situation? It was already night by the time I was properly versed on what I wanted to say, but not by much.

When I heard someone at my door, I opened it with the expectation of seeing an Espeon winding up another strike towards my skull for disobeying her orders. What I found instead was much worse. Joy had decided to take matters into her own two paws and sent Mabel to me instead. My mind hit a total blank when I saw her in front of me. My preparation was all but wasted when my entire mental script was being held at the tip of my tongue. The only things that did come out were nothing but jumbled phrases.

"Oh… umm… H-Hey Mabel! What a surprise to see you here!" I leaned against the door frame and started scratching my arm skittishly. A pleasant, flowery scent filled my nostrils.

_Perfume?_

When she picked her head up to look at me, she began to look more squeamish than she already did. I could tell that she wasn't exactly on board with Joy's idea as well.

"Hi Milo." She said meekly, "Can we… can we talk somewhere more private?"

"What do you mean? What's wrong with talking about it here?"

"N-Nothing, just-... just follow me okay? I wanna show you someplace special."

After a few minutes of me almost tripping over tree roots and sticks since it was so dark out, I was led to a part of the forest I had never seen before. It was beyond the river where I'd go fetch water. Up until now, I never had a reason to cross it. We came across a clearing that was almost as big as the one that my neighborhood occupied, but this one was devoid of any sort of civilization. Under the brilliant illumination of the moon, there instead was only a small stump right in the middle of all the open space. The first thing I thought when I saw the place was how great of a sunbathing spot it could be. I made a mental note of its location.

Mabel motioned for me to take a seat on the elevated wooden platform, and so I did. She took her spot about a foot away from me, and a long silence ensued. Mere minutes began to feel like hours, and I was getting more and more unnerved by the intense environment we were building up. I changed my perspective from the grass to the sky to cope with the awkwardness. It didn't take long for me to become entranced by the beauty of the shiny dots in the sky, it was so dazzling that I only just noticed that my mouth was ajar.

"Pretty, right?"

I looked to see Mabel mimicking my gaze, "Uhh… yeah, it is." I responded amateurishly before resuming my stargazing. I did a double-take back at her right after, and saw how the low light levels perfectly encapsulated her features. I even noticed that her fur was more uniform than usual. Did she groom herself too?

I looked back up before she could catch me staring, I knew very well that being caught could lead to a disaster (on my part, that is).

Soon I was back into becoming lost in the stars above as I tried to conjure up a good icebreaker. My ears twitched when I heard muffled noises, but I dismissed it as simple forest ambiance. I should have given it more consideration though, as it turned out to be the sound of Mabel scooching closer to me. Before I realized it, she had already planted her lips onto my cheek.

_..!_

"Wha-!?" I stopped myself from crying out from surprise, but I recoiled back so badly that I almost fell off the stump. Joy said that I should be ready for anything, but I would have never predicted something so bold.

I could just _feel_ Mabel's heart sink when she saw how I reacted, causing a terrible guilt to run through me. However, it didn't stop her from enacting phase two of her offensive. She closed the distance I had made and gently reached for my right paw. She caressed it for a moment before holding it close to her chest. Her face was rosy.

"Milo I… I love you."

My face lit up and my head started to feel thick when my eyes locked with hers. Time seemed to have come to a halt when I stared at her glistening brown eyes shimmering in the moonlight. They looked so full of hope, it made my heart skip a beat. I caught my rising anxiety and clasped my cheeks before I broke down into a nervous wreck, which may have seemed odd to her.

I didn't come here to be embarrassed! I came here to bring her back to normal! Amidst the moment, I suddenly remembered the words I had forgotten the second she appeared at my doorstep.

I pulled my arm away from her tender grip and dropped my head slightly so I couldn't see her face. I couldn't bring myself to look at her anymore. I took a deep breath before speaking as steadily as a voice could get when someone confesses to you.

"I'm sorry…"

* * *

**Hope you all had a great time reading! I hope I'll see you all back here soon!**

**Thanks for all the reviews too! I love reading them!**


	12. Journal Entry 4

_Entry #88_

_Joy wanted me to settle things with Mabel, but I got too hung up on what  
I wanted to say to her that I ended up taking my brainstorming back home.  
Hopefully she won't get too mad. I thought writing another entry would help  
me gather my thoughts, but so far I still don't know what to say. Coming  
up with a speech takes forever, just like the one I use whenever Mabel cries  
about a breakup. It took me ages to come up with the right words for those  
occasions, but now I have to make one in a single day? Who does Joy think  
I am? A miracle worker? And if what she says is true, how am I going to let  
Mabel know I don't want to do anything too sudden without blowing everything  
out of the water? A real friend would never break her heart! I'd be a massive  
hypocrite if I did. This is the first step in mending all the mistakes I've made, so  
I can't mess this up! But what am I going to do? Maybe a lightbulb might go  
off in my head if I just continue to write about other things that have happened  
lately._

_I guess on the bright side of things, a lot has happened to me, socially speaking.  
So far, everyone has responded well after finding out that I was everyone's  
guardian angel, but I don't think they're convinced that I have stopped yet either.  
__One of my professors even exempted me from their final exam! It's not just because  
I was doing well in his class, but apparently I stopped his daughter from eating a  
poisonous mushroom while I was out on one of my morning patrols. My memory is  
kinda foggy on what exactly happened, but I'm not going to complain about it._

_It's not all that great though, as having to pretend that there aren't eyes on  
me during school is going to be a pain. I'm happy that everyone thinks so  
highly of me, but it's really starting to attract some unwanted attention,  
friendly or not. A good example of this is some creepy letter from some  
jealous type. I'm positive nothing bad will actually come out of it, and if it does,  
I'm sure they'll understand that I wasn't doing it for glory. It's best to just wait  
until everything passes, and also make sure I don't do anything flashy again.  
Despite all the bad things, I can safely say that getting an apology from Joy is  
one of the greatest things to have ever come out of it all, even if she did slap me…  
and force me into a situation with Mabel. It's a side to her that I've never seen  
before, though I doubt I'll ever see it again. Honestly, her painful way of showing  
thanks was one of the nicest things she's ever said to me. _

_As it turns out, recounting past events did help me come up with a few things.  
I think I should just tell Mabel that we should take things slow, since she might still  
be under the illusion that I'm still some brave hero (I still can't believe some of the  
things I did, especially my first rescue), then things should turn out fine.  
Whatever I did back then doesn't mean I can do it again. I'm willing to put behind  
every disturbing and… descriptive things she's said to me as long as she's willing  
to do so also. Once she learns that I'm still who I've always been, we can be friends  
again! It's a master plan!.. Hopefully I'm not thinking too optimistically... __Maybe I should  
go ask Flynn about how to deal with this, he does owe me for prying out all the stories  
about of my adventures as a ninja out of me.  
_

_I just heard a knock on my door... geez it's already nighttime? Crap, did Joy already  
come back from her meeting?_


	13. Chapter 7 - Drizzle

**Chapter 7 - Drizzle**

"I'm grateful that you think of me that way. I really do." I said calmly, "But I'm… I'm not-"

"Stop." The Leafeon turned away suddenly, her voice quivering. "I know you hate me, so you don't have to say it."

"... What?"

"I'm sorry for ignoring you. I just couldn't bear to see you after all the things I said. I never stopped to think about how you felt when I forced you to listen to all the things I wanted to do to you, and now you hate me!" She cried.

"Mabel, I would never..." I tried to hug her, but she pushed me away.

"No! Stop! I know I'm awful! I know, okay?!" Tears streamed down her face. "You think I'm disgusting! I only dragged you here because I was selfish. I just wanted to tell you how I feel. It hurts that I can't stop thinking about you, even though I know you hate me. So please, don't say it!"

I grabbed her by the shoulders this time, "Snap out of it! I would never think or say any of that to you!" I gently shook her. "You couldn't have known that it was me that rescued you. It was supposed to be a secret."

"So what?! That doesn't mean I can take back all the lewd things I said!"

"It's fine, you were just all excited and caught up in the moment."

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"Look, no matter how you look at it, it's not your fault," I pulled her into a hug before she could push me away again. "I forgive you."

Her body stopped trembling. "But-"

"No '_buts'_, I'm serious Mabel. If anything, I was worried about you. I thought _you_ hated _me_. So please, it's alright. I should be the one apologizing for not telling you sooner."

She still looked guilty when we separated. "Do you mean it?" She sniffled.

I waited for her to wipe her tears away, "Of course I do. You're my best friend. I could never be mad at you. I know you more than anybody else that you're always like this when you're chasing after someone... well, maybe aside from your parents… and probably your other friends." I tried to humor.

She chuckled, but then her ears drooped slightly. "Yeah, you're right… we're just friends."

"W-Wait! That's not what I meant!" I said quickly, "I'm… I'm not rejecting you. I truly am thankful that you see me as something more." This time it was my turn to look away, "I'm the one who's being selfish. I'm just not ready for a relationship. I have too many things to worry about."

She perked back up, "What things? You're always dozing off whenever I see you. In fact, I bet you thought how nice this place would be to relax when we first came here."

I slanted backwards in surprise, "Hey! How did you-"

"See?" She stuck her tongue out cutely, trying to act like herself again, "I know you just as well as you know me."

"Then you understand that I'm not like who I was back then, right?"

"Of course I do."

"You do? But I'm not who you thought I was..." I said confusingly,

"So naive..." She leaned in, "There are other things about you that I've always liked~. " She winked, "I've had a lot of time to think while I was away. You were the only one who helped me whenever I was sad."

I felt sweat starting to form, "Uhh…"

"I only wished I could've realized it sooner…" She placed a paw on my lap, "Is it really that hard to believe when I say I'm in love with you?"

"B-But I'm not even your type! I'm not like the brave and buff guys you're always going on about! I'm a coward Mabel, and that's never going to change!"

She rolled her eyes, "Don't be such a pessimist. I'll admit that I said I was into those types of men..." She looked at me slyly, "But that doesn't mean it's a necessity, and everyone I've gone out with never really liked me for who I was on the inside."

"That's because you-"

She landed a soft karate chop onto my head. "Oh, be quiet. All I'm saying is that you're different." She ridiculed, "You're the only one who has decided to stay by me. Not once did you ever try to take advantage of me, even when I was at my worst. You didn't have to, yet all you did was care. Did you really think doing something as thoughtful as that wouldn't tug on my heartstrings?"

"Mabel…"

"Please, won't you at least give me a chance?"

"I… I…" My head felt like it was spinning as she moved closer, "N-No! I can't!" I shook my head feverishly to clear my mind. "I'm not ready for a girlfriend! I said I have too many things I'm worried about!"

"But that's why we should be together, I can help you through them." She cooed.

"We _are _together!.. Just not in _that _way." I nervously scratched my arm again, "I have you and Flynn, and I'm so happy to have you two as friends that I'm afraid to lose you guys. But both of you don't understand what it's like. You don't know how bad it's been ever since everyone found out I was the geek who decided to play dress-up!"

"Bad? Everyone won't stop saying good things about you!"

"That's what you all think! It's been horrible for me!" I sighed when I caught my voice rising. "I'm just trying to help _you_. How will everyone else react when they find out I'm going out with you?"

Mabel stayed silent.

"Please, I can't do this right now. I don't want to rush anything. I'm not saying 'no' to you, but right now I just want you to be like you've always been. I'll only be dragging you down otherwise."

"... Okay..." She murmured, "I guess you're right." She turned tail and started padding off. "Good night Milo, see you tomorrow... and... thank you."

I nodded before looking back up at the night sky. I stayed for a little while longer before heading home.

It pained me to see her looking glum when she left, and even more so knowing that it's because of me, but this is for the best. I'd do anything to see her smile again, it's my duty to her as a friend afterall. At the same time, a small part of me regretted giving her hope that we'd be a couple. I might've crushed on her before, but now that I've gotten to know her over the course of four semesters, the thought of taking things further feels weird to me. It may have been just two years, but it's like she's been at my side since childhood, just like my Wailmer pail that my mother gave me.

And who on Earth would try to date their watering can?

* * *

Weeks went by, and as Mabel promised, she began to return to her regular routines of talking to me in between lectures at school. She was back to being peppy and excitable, just like old times. One thing that could change is that she also started flirting with me whenever the chance presented itself, even on campus. The teases are particularly worse whenever Joy was around to hear it, for obvious reasons. I've told Mabel several times to knock it off, but she would always defend herself simply by saying she's going along with what everyone else has been doing lately. I couldn't argue with her there, as everyone at school has been acting super nice to me, especially the girls… _especially _the girls.

Lots of students, consisting of my peers, seniors, and underclassmen, have come to me to ask if I could demonstrate my old habits again, like showing off my tree climbing and/or hopping abilities, so they can get a close-up of my past heroics. I'd always decline, letting them gawk at my dexterity, which has definitely gotten rusty over the past few months, will only egg them on. I kept telling them to try it themselves rather than bug me about it. Some have, in fact, but I made sure to also say that I wasn't responsible for any injuries that they were bound to get.

As the days went on, the scrutiny died down, bit by bit. This decline was further amplified when finals began to draw near, which was good, since I still haven't gotten used to all the flattery. I'm getting tired of my face having a constant shade of red whenever I'm near somebody.

When I'm not in my backyard, I take refuge from all the attention in Flynn, although his incessant badgering on why I haven't taken one of the girls at school to my bedroom yet isn't that much of an improvement.

"_The apprentice has surpassed the master, and the first thing you do as a walking chick magnet is brush them all off? Have you lost your mind?"_

When I told him that I also turned down Mabel recently, I realized right after that I was never going to hear the end of it.

"_Are you retarded? She's hot, her friends are hot, fuck man, the entire school is hot. They're all giving you googly eyes. The last thing I'd do is give them the cold shoulder."_

"_So you want me to just... degrade myself now that everyone knows my name, is that it? Then what? Let's assume I did say yes to all of them. Have you ever thought about the... the consequences?"_

"_Newsflash, dumbass. Ever heard of a condom?"_

"_Of course I have. But the point is that-"_

"_Hey, no shame in having a little fun out there. Here, I'll even lend you some of mine… quick question, you an extra large?"_

"_Flynn!"_

It's times like these that he reminds me of my older cousins. But unlike them, there are some occasions where he isn't thinking with his crouch. I've learned that there is a key phrase to get him to act serious, which will come in handy pretty soon since new pressing matter has arisen, no doubt from all my publicity. It had started a while ago, and I've been keeping the problem to myself for too long now, and I'm getting fed up with sleeping with one eye open again. I need to confide in someone I trust.

When I finished up my chores, I crashed by Flynn's place. The front door, which Flynn still refuses to keep locked, creaked open when I knocked on it. Behind it revealed an ordinary spectacle of a Flareon munching on some berries I gave him a few days ago. I refilled his pantry a while ago so he'd keep his mouth shut when he threatened to forge love letters under my name to some of the popular girls in our grade, saying that he was just giving me a push in the right direction. He laid on his couch while looking over some notes we took in our morning lecture. It was one of the few times I ever saw him being studious, as for some reason he doesn't like others knowing about his intelligence. The sophisticated scene was a stark contrast to the faint smell of alcohol that constantly filled his living room. He quickly put away his notebook when he noticed me walk in. I made sure to greet him with the words that would ensure he wouldn't begin with a snide remark.

"Hey uhh… Flynn? Can I talk to you for a sec? Like… _real talk?_"

He closed his notebook and placed it on the sofa's armrest, "What's going on man? Finally decided to stop being a turbo virgin?"

I sighed, guess those words don't always work, "No…"

He crossed his arms, "Shoot."

"Do you remember that creepy letter I got about a month ago? The one with just a few sentences on it, challenging me to a duel?"

"What? You still think it was me?"

"No." I said quickly, I reached into my messenger bag that I was wearing and pulled out a bunch of previously opened letters, held together with twine. I compressed it as much as I could, but it was still as thick as an entire English dictionary. "It's just that I've gotten tons more of them." I threw them onto the coffee table in front of Flynn with a loud _thud_. "See for yourself."

He whistled after he untied the thin cord, releasing all the built up compression and causing the bundle to explode into more letters, "Damn dude, you sure this guy's not a fan?" He selected a few from the pile and read them aloud. "'_Come fight me you pussy.'_, '_Why aren't you here?'_, '_Stop hiding'_?" He smirked, "I think he likes you."

"He sure does," I said unsteadily, "Or she."

The fire-type scoffed, "Why are you so quiet? Don't tell me you're actually scared?" He looked back at the paper he was holding and squinted at the tiny signature at the bottom. "_Tch. _This guy calls himself _Beta Leaf?_" He laughed, "That's the dumbest name I've ever heard!"

"Who cares what this Pokémon calls themselves! Can I not be at least a little concerned?" I picked up a more recent letter and tossed it to him. "Look at this one. What if they're actually being serious?"

"'_If you don't come, then I'll come to you. I know where you live.'_" The Flareon read with genuine confusion, "C'mon, so what if he does come? I can mess him up for you. He's probably jealous, is all."

"Jealous? Would you send threats like these if you were jealous?"

"I dunno, it's not that unusual. If it bothers you so much, why don't you just block all the mail coming from this dude?"

"You can't do that without knowing their address!"

Flynn flipped and scanned through dozens of letters , but found nothing. "Oh… right." He leaned backwards on his couch and placed his legs, one over the other, on the table. "Welp, I guess you're screwed then."

My heart sank when he said that. "This isn't a joke! They could be out to get me!"

"Relax, don't you think you're overreacting a bit too much?"

"I wasn't at first, but now I'm convinced that they actually want to kill me!"

"Don't be ridiculous. What happened to the _brave hero_ that saved all those Pokémon from harm?" He made air quotes with his paws.

I groaned, "That was a long time ago! I never would've done it if I knew this would happen."

"Fine. I'll try to watch your back if you really that uptight about it." He shook his head and changed the subject, "Say, since you and Mabel are pals again, when's the next time she and Joy are coming over? Been ages since they last came. I think I might've jinxed us when I said I wanted to come to the next one."

"Oh, uhh… I don't know yet. I'll ask her."

"Yeah, you do that." He held up another berry from the basket beside him and took a bite out of it, "Give me a shout if you see that _big_, _scaaaaary _assassin." He chuckled with his mouth full.

* * *

Having a heart-to-heart with Flynn had the opposite effect of what I wanted. The next day I was looking over my shoulder more than I already have, and I stuttered more when I talked to others. I was jumpy and jittery whenever someone tried to speak to me in between classes, and I had a hard time listening to my teachers. Flynn was right, it's like I never went and helped all those Pokémon in danger back then. I was foolhardy, but now I'm in such distress that I keep tripping over nothing. I hated it. The first time I got those scary letters, I thought that there was no way I could've angered someone so much when I was just trying to do some good, but then they just kept coming. What could I have done to spite someone so much?

I was too preoccupied on wondering who could be sending the hateful notes that I almost forgot that I was supposed to ask Mabel if she wanted to come over. Having idle chatter with her is always a nice change of pace, considering the next best thing on my to-do list was to crawl into a hole and never come out.

I went over to her dorm at the edge of the campus grounds, and I had to wait a few minutes for her to answer. When the door opened, a drowsy-looking Leafeon wearing black-rimmed nerd glasses emerged from the dimly lit room.

"Ughh, Joy, what is it?" She said disgruntledly, I would be too if someone disturbed me from my slumber.

My first instinct told me that I must've knocked on someone else's door, but upon closer inspection, I found that I was right where I wanted to be.

"Whoa, Mabel, you wear glasses?"

"Huh?" She yawned as she lifted her optics up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. The tan-colored creature blinked a few times at me once she was properly awake.

She shrieked the moment she saw that I was not her roommate, and slammed the door in my face. I stood there with slight bewilderment as I heard sounds of a running faucet and hasty shuffling behind the door before she opened it once more. This time her eyeglasses were nowhere to be found.

"_Heeeeey_ Milo, sorry about that." She tried to say nonchalantly, "What are you doing here right after school?"

"Wait Mabel, how come you never told me you wear contacts?"

Suddenly she grew flustered, and puffed out her cheeks. "Hey, don't tell anyone okay? I don't want anybody to know that!"

"Why? What's wrong with them? I think glasses are pretty cute." I replied casually, but then I bit my tongue, for some reason I was subconsciously thinking I was talking to Flynn.

_Would Dialga rewind time back a few seconds back if I asked him nicely?_

My innocent comment made her squeak as she scrambled to hide behind her door, then she poked her bright red face out, "Pervert! Just you wait 'til I tell everyone that you have a glasses fetish!"

"What? No I don't!"

"Yes you do! You just said you did! Now look at what you've done to me!"

She was so embarrassed that she looked like she was about to scream again.

I took a few steps back, "Look, I'm sorry for waking you up, should I come back later or...?"

"N-No! Wait!" Suddenly she was back in front of me and grabbed hold of my paw, "I-It's fine. You're… you're welcome to stay a while." She muttered as she gently tugged on my arm.

"Oh umm… okay…" I accepted her invitation into her two-room apartment, though I was still unsure if I had the right to be here. "I won't tell anyone, I swear."

She crossed her arms as she sat on her bed, "_Hmph,_ you better not." She sassed, but then exhaled, "Sorry you had to see me like that."

"Nah, it's my fault for barging in on you like that." I shook my head as I sat on Joy's mattress on the opposite side of the room. I trust that Mabel won't tell her I even dared to step foot onto her side of the room. "I just came by to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"Well I…" My voice trailed off as I began to feel shy, but remembering that I was just doing a favor for Flynn gave me the courage to keep going, "I just wanted to know how things are going between us." I started scratching the back of my head, "You said you'd go back to the way things were, but you haven't come by to visit me lately."

"Wait, really? I thought it'd be weird to come over now since… you know…" Her eyes began to sparkle, it was warming to see her mood already improving, "Are you saying you missed me?"

"Umm… yeah I guess. I didn't want you to be sad about what I said that night."

"Aww, that's sweet of you~." She hummed, "I never thought you'd go out of the way to invite me to your place... unless..." Suddenly she gasped and grabbed her pillow to cover her lower face, she eyed me suspiciously, "Oh Milo, you naughty boy! Don't think you can act all innocent, inviting a pure maiden like me to dark depths of your home!" She playfully accused.

"Pure? You?" I raised a brow, "Don't act like you haven't been fooling around with the guys you've gone out with!"

She responded by throwing her pillow at me. It was aimed towards my face, and the repulsive aftertaste of cloth and cotton riddled my taste buds as part of it went into my mouth. It almost made me gag.

"Don't _ever_ bring that up!" She shouted, blushing again. "Rule number one when talking to a lady is to never mention her private life!"

"Alright, alright, geez." I got up to leave, "So, you coming over someday or not?"

"... Fine… but it's not because I want to." She puffed her cheeks again.

"Great, thanks Mabel." I smiled as I opened the door, and took a stride out of the dim room.

"Yeah yeah…"

I stopped just before I disappeared from her sight, "Oh, and bring Joy along too. Flynn wants to see her."

I closed the door behind me before she could object.

* * *

The following weekend, specifically on the day when Mabel and Joy arranged to hang out, I started off my morning by watering my garden. What I ended up doing instead was turn paler than the moon when I found that someone had chopped down one of my berry trees. I dropped my Wailmer pail in horror once I noticed a note nailed onto the thin stump. I didn't have to read it to know who it was from.

"Yo."

My fur stood on end, and a cold shiver was sent down my spine, paralyzing me from the waist-down. The relief that surged through me when a friendly face walked into my line of sight instead of a vicious killer was indescribable.

"Oh my god, Flynn, you almost gave me a heart attack."

"My bad." He jumped over my fence and noticed how white I looked. He followed my gaze and walked over to observe the vandal's handiwork, "'_You can't hide from me.'_" He read the note aloud. "Yeesh, that's a good way to start the day."

"_Now_ do you see what I mean?"

"Hmm, maybe… need help cleaning this mess up?"

"Clean it up? Shouldn't we report this?"

"Why would we? We can handle this weirdo _edgelord_ ourselves." He waved a dismissive paw at me.

"The evidence is right in your face! This Pokémon's insane!"

"What evidence?" He said sarcastically as he effortlessly uprooted the tall and slender stump and threw it into my compost bin. Usually it would take me hours to do that, even with a shovel. "Besides, we've got better things to worry about. Joy's coming over today, right?"

I looked at him in awe as he wiped the dirt off his paws, "Yeah…"

"Cool, now help me cover up this hole that I just made."

* * *

The expected guests arrived at noon, and I welcomed the distraction to my growing paranoia. Flynn gave me a mission debrief on what was to go down - I was basically tasked with leading Joy to be alone in my backyard, where, just like his original plan, he would show up by "coincidence_"_ and start chatting her up. It didn't sound too hard, since she usually does that herself.

Just as I predicted, Joy had did the work for me by waltzing through my backdoor the moment I let her and Mabel into my abode.

_Hey, why is there a weird empty spot in the middle of your garden?_

_Uhh... don't worry about it._

_Didn't you have a nice little tree that was there?_

_Yeah but... umm... it was wilting, so I had to get rid of it._

_Aww, that's a shame._

Joy never came back inside, so I assumed she was just gonna lie and wait for the best time to turn a harmless conversation between me and Mabel into a troublesome one (typically for me). She'll be glad to know that I have an ace up my sleeve to counter her transgressions, in the form of a Flareon whose motives are definitely not because he simply wants to keep her off my back. I'm happy, and Flynn's happy, now that's what I call definition of killing two birds with one stone.

I chose my words carefully as Mabel and I hung out like we always do in the living room. Behind me, through the back windows, I could see Flynn leaning on my fence as he introduced himself to his secret source of inspiration. I saw his jarred expression as he experienced Joy's preferred way of speech for the first time. I wanted to give him a few pointers, but it'd be impossible to do unless I was also an Espeon since I had no way of knowing what they were currently talking about. All I could do was silently root for Flynn as I watched him try to figure out how telepathy works.

I kept Mabel occupied by holding a one-on-one study session with her. We were alone together in a cozy, indoor space. The last thing I needed was her teasing to go out of hand. Along with her notebooks, she also pulled out a familiar accessory of hers, one that she had kept hidden quite well over the years that I've known her, at least until recently.

"Mabel, why did you bring your glasses? Did you forget to put on your contacts?"

Her face beamed, "Well, I guess that's one reason~."

* * *

Summer has begun, and that meant Joy would be leaving soon to study abroad. I asked Flynn if he was going to be alright, and he said he was fine. He claimed that his plan to at least be on friendly terms with her was a success, but he still seemed off. On the day of Joy's departure, he was walking around like a mummy. Obviously, there was something he was not telling me, so I took him out to the clearing across the river that Mabel showed me. I thought maybe a good talk would knock him back into his senses.

Total silence filled the atmosphere as we sat on our haunches on the rugged stump, our backs facing each other. Unfortunately, there were no glistening stars above to help ward off the awkwardness. Not only because it was still in the afternoon, but there were gray clouds above that covered the whole sky. The weather was pretty gloomy.

"You know… I kinda lied when I said things went well with me and Joy." The orange Eeveelution spoke suddenly.

"Yeah, I figured." I shrugged, "What happened?"

"I don't even know. Nothing terrible I guess, but she's pretty harsh spoken, ya know?"

"Told you. You'll get used to it. Trust me."

"I mean... maybe." He tapped me on the shoulder to signal that he was going to lie down, so I scooched to one side. He sprawled out onto the stump, nearly taking up half of the surface area.

"Did you say you liked her?"

"Nah, I'm not that straightforward."

"Then what is it?"

"How should I put this... it's like she could see right through me."

"What do you mean?"

"It was like she knew exactly what I was going to say, it made her seem so… _disinterested_. I was at a loss of words the entire time."

"Is that why you're being so mopey? You think you could've done better?"

"I don't know." He said again. He covered his forehead with an arm and sighed heavily. "But man was she beautiful. I want to see her again."

"She's coming back though, right?"

"Yeah, in a month or two." He extended his arms towards the clouds, "But man do I just want to squeeze her, cuddle her, _love _her."

"... Okay." A gentle wind ruffled our fur. "I think once you really get to know her, she'll show a soft side that I'm pretty sure you'll really like."

"You think so? Have you seen it?"

"I'm... not too sure to be honest."

"Oh." He was getting spacey again, "I think…"

"..."

"I think…"

"You think what?"

"I… I think I'm just bummed out that I'm not gonna see her for a while."

"If you know why you're sad, why don't you do something about it?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know when she's leaving today? "

"She's leaving right now, or soon."

"Then why not wish her farewell?"

"Nah, it's not worth it. I don't think she'll like me back in the end. I don't want to bother her."

I gave him a questionable look. "You sure you don't wanna say anything?"

"... Yeah, yeah I'm sure."

He smiled as he stared at the sky, so I decided not to press him anymore. I laid down beside him as another period of silence ensued. I chose to listen to the gentle rustling of the trees and grass to faze out the discomfort. I felt a tiny rain droplet hit my nose, a drizzle is coming. Flynn suddenly stood up on his hind legs, I thought the rain had prompted him to go home, but all he did was stand still for several minutes, not moving a muscle.

"Milo, do me a solid, will ya?"

I sat up, "Of course, anything."

"Give me one _hell_ of a push."

His voice was both powerful and sincere. It gave me a strong sense of how important this was to him. For so long I've had this feeling that I would always be indebted to him for all the things he's done for me, and right now it felt like I could repay it all back in one clean motion. His sincerity helped me remember the day I first met him… well… maybe the second day. He was the first Pokémon I could truly call a friend. I lacked any real company back home with my parents, but Flynn, he has given me something that I have always dreamed of having.

And I'll be damned if I ever stop him from achieving his.

Without a moment of hesitation, I squeezed my eyes shut, planted two paws on his back, and thrusted him forward with all the strength I could muster.

"Go! Go Flynn! Go and say goodbye!" I roared so hard that my throat was already strained.

He took off into the woods. By the time I looked up, he had already cleared the distance between me and the edge of the wide expanse, and then he was gone.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Remember to review if you'd like, they serve as an excellent source of encouragement for me, whether they're good or bad!**


	14. Special Chapter 1 - Strength

**Special Chapter 1 - Strength**

_It was a cloudy day of summer in Cradle Town. The weather brought forth a light drizzle, where it worsened into a moderate sleet, then a raging torrent. All of the town populace had gone to seek shelter from the coming downpour._

_All but one._

_A Flareon was sprinting through the dense collection of trees that the town was built in. He ran at such an incredible speed that he was arguably leaving afterimages in his wake. Any one of his electric-type cousins would question their own abilities if they saw him. _

_Soon the Flareon started to gasp and heave, and his momentum began to falter. The rain was violent, and it didn't take long for him to be drenched to the bone. His proud and fluffy mane, tail, and collar were now soaked and heavy. The dirt and grass beneath him was getting so wet that his paws would sink into it each time he pounded his mighty arms and legs against them. The Flareon gritted his teeth and resolved to keep going. He was feeling the burn, and his hearty stamina waned as he flew through the woods, his lungs begging him for respite. He still had a long way to go._

_But he didn't care._

_The only thing driving him to perform such an amazing feat of endurance was the slight chance that he might see someone again. Even just a glimpse of them would make him happy. And so he ran, ran as his limbs began to feel like bricks, ran until he finally reached his destination. His perception was blurred due to the rain pelting at his face, but when he came to the edge of the forest, he could still make out something pink. He was wheezing as he stumbled in front of it, taking a considerable effort to keep his balance on all fours. He felt like he was about to vomit._

_An Espeon was sitting on a lonely bench. She had a paw rested on a satchel slung over her shoulder, and held an umbrella with the other. Her bored expression did not change when she saw him. She recognized him as the neighbor to someone she knew._

_The gray weather made her beauty shine in the eyes of the Flareon. She was like a marvelous splash of color on an otherwise bland canvas. His heart throbbed as he shifted his eyes to and from her, as if he was having trouble deeming if he was worthy of even having the privilege to look at her. He took a deep breath to soothe his aching lungs._

_Then he told her everything._

_Between each of his ragged exhales, he told the girl how much he loved her, how much he yearned for her affection. He told her how he couldn't stop thinking about her, and finally getting to talk to her a few weeks back only made it worse. He told her that he had been in love with her since the day he laid eyes on her. It was one of the few times the Flareon ever felt embarrassed._

_He had no intention of convincing her to stay. He would never forgive himself for trying to hold her back to satisfy his own desires. He congratulated her for being given the opportunity to see the world. He just wanted to let her know how he felt all this time, even going as far as listing all the qualities about her that he adored so much. He did it until his voice was hoarse._

_The whole time, the Espeon stared at him with an unwavering poker face, practically a glare. The only sound that could be heard after the Flareon's confession was his quiet panting and the drumming of the rain. Her response came in the form of her sliding off the bench, turning to her side, and walking towards the forest's exit, all without saying a word. He watched her journey into the prairie beyond until her figure was a tiny speck in the horizon._

_Alone once more, the Flareon took a seat on the opposite side of the bench, as if wanting to not pollute the heavenly spot that the Espeon had graced with her touch._

_He felt numb, and did not know why. He was filled with a mixture of uncertainty and doubt. _

_All he could do now was throw his head back and let the rain blind his vision._


	15. Chapter 8 - Floridity

**Chapter 8 - Floridity**

Over the course of summer, I sometimes catch Flynn looking off into the distance. I'm curious about what happened after he ran off, but I know better than to ask. Whatever did happen must've at least not have gone sour, because he's slowly becoming himself again. He still needs time to recover, so I've opted not to irk him with my recent concerns about my stalker problem. Not like he'd show much enthusiasm about it anyway, since he still believes they're just idle, harmless threats I'm getting.

For about the first month and a half of my beloved break from school, Flynn was right to think that way, as my mysterious assailant had seemingly disappeared without a trace. In that period of bliss, I was no longer tormented by the anonymous memos. I thought that my refusal to respond to any of them finally convinced him or her that I was no longer worth the trouble. To my dismay, I found out the hard way that they were just taking a vacation from harassing me, for some reason, and I was greeted with the same eerie penmanship halfway through the month of July. They seemed to have changed their tactics too, as they've instead found pleasure in destroying my sanity rather than trying to coax me into proving myself. I would be lying if I said it wasn't working. Their nonstop antics involving sinister letters pasted onto my fence and windows is driving me up the wall. I don't care if Flynn says I'm being melodramatic, it's not like I have the brawn to back up my past heroics anymore. I'm getting _deja vu_ for the millionth-time over where I haven't gotten a good night's sleep. It's like I've been cursed to never be at peace ever since the day I bought my scarf at the local tailor.

Man has evolved to fear the unknown, and whoever this Pokémon is, they sure know how to keep themselves anonymous, even better than me. They're so good in fact that I'm starting to believe that I might've angered an actual ninja. Were my imitations to be like one so insulting to the real thing that they want to punish me?

In stressful times like these, Mabel said I should be looking at the silver linings in my situation. At face value, it actually sounded like pretty good life advice, but as of right now, the only optimistic thing I could think of is that nobody has called me a geek yet. It was comforting to know that she was trying to offer some solace, even though she doesn't know much of what I'm going through. I've yet to tell Mabel anything specific about my turmoil, nor do I plan to. Even though it is perfectly in her right to know as someone who is just trying to help, I don't want her to get involved, especially when there's the risk that my unknown harasser might begin to target her. Plus, as I've told her before, it just seems cruel and irresponsible to weigh down somebody else with my troubles. Not like anybody would believe me when I say some killer ninja is after me anyway, Flynn's permissiveness is clear evidence of that. This is a road I must walk alone.

It's particularly disheartening to know that it's my favorite season of the year, and I'm stuck with juggling between the stresses of being an involuntarily celebrity and terrors of being on someone's hit list. Probably the most jarring thing to have happened already is that one of my neighbors came to me one day to ask for my paw in marriage with their daughter. As much as I wanted to commend the parent's guts to ask such a thing, I politely declined. I won't admit it to anybody, but the whole ordeal was kind of funny. It was one of the few moments this summer where I was smiling.

I've also been invited to a ton of college gatherings, now that final exams are done. If I had my way, I would've gone to none of them, but Flynn didn't want to hear it. He made me to go to more than a handful of them with him. Fortunately, I'm usually able to slip out when he isn't looking, before I'd be surrounded by inebriated young adult women asking if I remembered them when I pulled them out of a bind one time, which is probably their most innocent advances. Society has told me that guys are normally the rowdy and immature ones who seduce girls into bed with them. It's not a completely false statement, but the way college girls act at frat parties made the lewd fantasies that Mabel once described to me seem like childish banter. Speaking of Mabel and her advice, I have at least found a silver lining in all this, which is that I've found some enjoyment in finding out the irony of Flynn's recent behaviors. Even though he's the one who drags me to all those parties where hormones run wild and personal space is constantly being invaded, he's become noticeably more conservative about preserving his chastity (which is kind of redundant since it's already ruined beyond belief). I like to think that it's because his chance encounter with Joy has set him down the right path. It's possible, but it is too good to be true.

Guys in my age group would dream of having my kind of status, but not a single one of them has probably stopped to think about what they'd do once they're finally at the top of the social hierarchy. Having peers from both sides of the gender spectrum kissing up to you is actually quite horrifying. All I want to do is pass the burden to some attention-hungry kid, maybe then they'll understand what it's like to suddenly be forced into the spotlight. Overall, hanging out with my fellow university students did not help in making me feel better.

The time where everyone came to appreciate my past deeds has passed, now all they wanted was _me_. I was labelled as the guy that everyone should for some reason get to know. The subject rarely changed to what I used to do, and when it did, the only thing they asked was why I stopped. And if that wasn't enough, a certain Eevee with a pink cap saw opportunity in what has turned into one of the most stressful moments of my life. That's not to say that she hasn't already been bugging me with questions about my private life in the past, because she has, but now that almost the entire population suddenly wants to my written biography, her persistence has skyrocketed.

All this, combined with the hateful notes filling my mailbox, has done nothing but continue to push me over the edge. I just wanted it to end. The hope for things to go back to the way it used to be will forever remain a pipe dream. In the rare opportunities where I got to be alone, I started taking casual strolls around the woods, since I knew I couldn't stay home for long. I feel like my brain has started giving me subliminal messages too, as I've found myself more than once standing at the edge of the cliff with the apple tree, where I performed my first ever, gut-wrenching rescue mission. Each time I came here, I would sit right at the edge of the bluff. A strong "call to the void" feeling would surge through every inch of my body whenever I let my legs dangle off the edge, my senses screaming at me to back away from the cliff, yet at the same time, a small part of me imagined what would happen if I tried to dive into the abyss.

_No… no! That's the coward's way out!_

I feverishly shook my head to erase anymore dark thoughts. I watched the waterfall beside me dump a constant flow of its clear liquid down the cliff before trudging my way back home.

* * *

A couple days later, the author of those creepy letters struck once more, and it was too close for comfort. I was walking back home one night, hauling back some gardening supplies when a twig whizzed in front of me. It wasn't just any twig either, one end of it was so sharp and pointy that it stuck right onto the oak tree that I was about to pass by. I instinctively looked in the direction of where it was thrown, but even with the help of the bright illumination of the moon, I saw no one. I looked back at the stick that almost pierced my skull and saw a sticky note punched through it, "_I see you," _was what it read. The ominous message left me frozen in place. Soon, a second projectile was lasered at me, darting right past my ears. Needless to say, it was more than enough persuasion for me to start running.

I wasn't able to sleep when I got back to the safe confines of my house. Even by midnight, I was still tossing and turning. I'm exhausted, there's no doubt about that, so the only thing keeping me awake must be how sore my arms and legs felt, which is not just because of me sprinting back home to avoid having the words, "_death by stick", _be written on my tombstone. Recently I've become so exasperated by with my current lifestyle, where I spend most of my day dodging expectations from everybody, that staying up late wasn't that much of an unusual occurrence for me anymore. Because at least by nightfall, I could be alone and not mobbed by overly friendly residents of Cradle Town.

Desperate for a better mode of entertainment, other than staring at my ceiling, I rolled onto my side to look around my dim bedroom. When my eyes fell upon my nightstand beside me, I slid it open to reveal its contents, the most prominent of which turned out to be my one and only souvenir from my trip to the college mixer - the one that Flynn brought me to at the beginning of our sophomore year, which ended in a failed attempt (thankfully) to get me laid.

_Or rather, my return trip from that awful place._

Staring at the cover of the ninja comic no longer filled me with excitement, and flipping through its pages only made me feel disillusioned. I remembered how I thought it was my fate to become savior of the town, and that it must've been destiny when the comic book flew into my face. If only I knew how wrong that belief would come to be.

I slammed the drawer shut suddenly, then opened it once more to see that nothing had changed inside of it. A small spark of hope began to fill up inside me, and I began to open and close the drawer repeatedly. I hoped that perhaps the stupid comic would disappear, that it would materialize itself out of existence, and that maybe this horrible lifestyle I've been enduring is all a big dream. My faith in this idea could only last for so long, however, and my belief that I was finding a loophole out of this nightmare turned into frustration. I gave up once I had angrily tossed the graphic novel into my trash bin across the room.

_Maybe I really am going insane._

Now out of options on how to tire myself out, I climbed out of bed to go outside for some fresh air. At this point, I've realized that I'm so dissatisfied with my present situation that I didn't care if I was now a sitting duck for this real-life ninja. If he or she wanted to throw another one of their makeshift kunais and have it hit their mark, then so be it. In the meantime, I decided to go off someplace to loathe myself into oblivion.

* * *

Back at the fated cliff at the end of the river, I let my hind legs hang from the cliffside again. The pull towards the boundary between life and death was much stronger, but I refused to let the temptation overwhelm me. My eyes locked on the waters in the tributary below, glistening in the moonlight. This place had unknowingly become my new sanctuary, more so than my backyard or the clearing that Mabel showed me. All evidence should point to me hating this place, given that this was the very spot that started me down the path of chaos, but thanks to how far this place is from the town, it's one of the only places where I can be by myself. I sighed as I stood back up on all fours and prepared for the long walk back home. I shuddered at the fact that I was only a few centimeters away from falling down, but that didn't stop me from getting the urge to lean forward to get a better look at how far of a drop from this elevation really was.

"N-No! Stop! Don't jump!" A sudden voice screamed, ringing my eardrums and making my fur stand on end. Before I could look back at who made the noise, a pair of pink paws grabbed my shoulders and jerked me backwards. "Don't do it! You have so much to live for!"

"Huh?!" I let out, my legs stumbling due to being lurched back unexpectedly.

I heard a yelp as I lost my balance and fell onto my supposed rescuer. I winced at the pain caused by my back slamming onto the ground, but my head was somehow spared from the impact by landing on something soft and delicate. Upon getting ahold of my bearings, I realized my head had found a place on someone's lap.

"Oww…" The feminine voice spoke again. I looked up to see a Sylveon rubbing her back, when our eyes met, her face flared up. My 'noggin finally got the blow it deserved when she screamed again and she kicked me off her thighs. "Sorry! That was an accident!" She immediately bowed her head to apologize.

"It's alright," I replied calmly, trying hard to keep myself from getting flustered at the fact that I was just in close proximity to a female, "That was my fault, but uhh… I wasn't actually going to jump. I swear it."

"Oh, i-it looked like you were about to, so I thought-" The fairy type panicked, but paused when our eyes met again, and for the third time, she screeched. This time she covered her mouth with a paw, which instead produced an adorable "_Eeep!" _to escape from her maw. "Ohmigosh! You're _him_!"

I've lost count of how many times I've been greeted that way, but I decided to play dumb for her sake. "Uhh… I'm who?"

She started to look squeamish, her face still a bit flushed, "You're the one who saved my life a few months ago! Right here, at this very spot!" She bowed her head again, "I never got to thank you for what you've done for me."

I've heard that countless times too, but it still always gets a blush out of me, "Umm… you don't have to thank me. I was just doing what anyone else would've done."

"No they wouldn't!" The Sylveon stomped with authority, but then turned shy again, "I mean… I don't think anyone could've caught me the way you did." She hugged her torso self-consciously.

"I guess," I said tiredly, "What are you doing out so late?"

"I-" The eeveelution paused again, she stammers more than I do, "I like to come here sometimes. This is my special place."

"Your special place? Aren't you scared? You almost died here."

"Not at all. Actually, I think that's why I'm so attached to this place, y-you know, like... learning from your mistakes and all that. And now that I got to meet you here... " When her voice trailed off, another meek squeal came out of her muzzle, probably to indicate that she didn't mean to say that last sentence. She forced a weak laugh and changed the subject, "You're Milo, right?"

"That's my name." I said in a cheery tone.

"Oh, I'm so glad I got to finally meet you! I'm Stella. I've heard a lot about you from one of my close friends. You probably know her."

"Do you mean Mabel?"

"Yep!" She chirped happily, but then once more, her tone went back to a lower volume. "But umm… I guess everyone around here has been talking about you."

"You're not wrong." I smiled at her attempt at humor, which mysteriously invoked another blush from her. I continued to act friendly toward her by attempting to hold a conversation with her for a few minutes, but she ended it when there were too many awkward silences, mostly on her part.

"Sorry, b-but I really have to go now, I'm usually not up this late." She stood up, her eyes looking to and from me, "T-Thanks again for saving me, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't come."

"No problem, it was great to meet you too, and sorry for giving you a scare at first. I can promise you that I won't be diving off anymore cliffs." I added in a reassuring tone. I waved broadly as she disappeared in the direction of the Cradily college campus.

I won't say it to her directly, but I have to admit that I actually got some enjoyment out of our exchange. There is a certain charm to talking to someone more timid than you. Could it be why Flynn took a liking to me when we first met? It sure might be, as there were so many times where Stella became so delightfully shy that I could've sworn my heart was about to melt; I just wanted to pinch her cheeks.

Back by my lonesome, I was reminded of why I was here in the first place. I sat with my back against the apple tree at the peak of the precipice, pondering about all the recent difficulties in my life. I felt a little ashamed at having to appear like everything was okay to the Sylveon. She simply wanted to be friends, and given any other circumstances, I would've been happy to oblige, but again, I don't want to drag anyone down with my problems. I stared up at the stars during my revaluation of all my shortcomings. My stomach churned at the thought of having to deal with the public again. I don't think I'll ever be treated as an ordinary citizen again for the rest of my life, and if I do, I'll probably be old and wrinkly. Tomorrow meant another day of being afraid, which made me unwilling to return back to reality.

_If only I could just make everyone forget the things I did._

I let my mind wander as I laid prone against the grass and peeked down over the edge again. My eyes shifted towards the protruding rock faces that I used to leap back up with Stella in my arms a long time ago. They were so well camouflaged against the side of the cliff that it came as a shock to me that I was able to spot them in time. Squinting through the darkness, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are enough platforms to allow one to safely descend the otherwise fatal height. I leaned back against the coarse bark of the apple tree to contemplate my observations. I watched an overripe apple break off one of the branches and plummet hundreds of feet, only to splat once it hit the dirt below.

"_Learning from your mistakes," huh? Not a bad philosophy, though it's not the first time of I've heard it._

When I looked up at the thin branches that once fooled Stella, a lightbulb went off.

I jumped onto all fours when an idea came up in my head. It was an idea so great that it restored my faith in having a future for myself, rather than falling at the hands of some rogue who wants to tan my hide. I was so excited that I was already bounding my way back home.

At first, I thought my life was finally going to take a turn for the better, but my heart began to feel heavy when I realized the obvious consequences of my plan. It gave me another thing to keep me up as I tried to go to bed.

* * *

I'm going to run away.

There's really no way to sugarcoat it, no matter how much I try to tell myself otherwise, the outcome will still be the same. All in the name of safety, not only am I admitting that I'm still a whelp that flees from everything, but I will also be leaving behind everything I've worked so hard to obtain - my home, my schooling…

_My friends..._

I was racking my brain all of next morning to think of a better way to go about this, but none would be able to reliably produce the results I so desperately needed. If I keep trying to go through the motions, one day I'm going to finally crack. I can't take this anymore. There's no chance for me being able to live here peacefully. Either I go mad from how everyone's been treating me, or I go make myself scarce before that happens.

My escape involved a lot trickery, which translates to me faking my own death. Like my other _brilliant _solution that brought me into this whole mess, this had to be an absolute secret. I wanted so badly to confide in those I held dear, but it'd be bad for anybody to know, plus they would definitely not be on board with the concept of me leaving, neither am I really.

_I don't want to leave..._

But this has to be done, my fate here would be sealed if I choose to stay here, and it would be a slow and painful ride. The sooner I'm out of here, the better, but the thought of leaving made it feel like there were butterflies in my stomach. Forcing myself to dull my emotions for at least until I'm out of here helped in reinforcing my resolve, but I couldn't shake the dreadful feeling that I was being driven out of my own home.

I arranged to carry out my ploy tonight, since it's imperative that no one sees me. By noon, I had I packed my messenger bag with only my essentials, taking everything might cause some uncertainty, nobody would bring anything with them if they were going to die. It'd be nice to sell my home for extra cash and leave less of a footprint about my whereabouts, but that too would appear suspicious. The one thing I was willing to risk was unenrolling from the Cradily University curriculum, so that I could at least claim my well-earned associate's degree. Maybe if I'm lucky, some Pokémon might interpret it as a potential hint to my "suicidal" motives. The thought gave me an idea to leave a note, or a will, somewhere in my bedroom. It would confirm any beliefs of my absence to anyone who might decide to break into my house once I'm gone, which they undoubtedly will.

I went to campus and back to take my name off the student body, with the reason that I was transferring to another school, which was partially true. Earlier, I set a course to a faraway town that takes around a week to get there on foot, called Floridity. According to the tourist pamphlets I've read, it's a new yet rapidly developing town, and it seemed like a pretty place to lie low.

_Or settle down._

I was actively avoiding both of my two closest friends throughout the whole day, seeing them will only make this harder, but fate always likes to work in its own mysterious ways, and I made the mistake of running into Flynn when making my way back from campus. Just the sight of him nonchalantly leaning his back against a tree made a lump appear in my throat.

"There you are Milo, you up for a little hangout?" The Flareon then nodded at my diploma, "Hey, what'cha got there?"

I stuffed the framed document into my shoulder bag before he could get a good look at it, "Uhh… just some award for doing something at school. I was just picking it up."

"Hmm... neat." His eyes narrowed at me, "Why the long face? Wanna grab a bite to eat, maybe turn that frown upside down?"

"Nah, I'm good. I already ate, and I have errands to run."

"Can't it wait? You look a little stressed out."

"I've always been stressed out, thanks to that _harmless assassin_ you keep telling me to ignore." I mimicked the air quotes he always does when he mocks me.

"He's _still _after you? Geez, you haven't said anything about him for a while, so I thought it was no longer an issue."

"It hasn't, and now I'd rather stay home than stay outside long enough to get jumped. And haven't I told you a thousand times that we shouldn't be seen together in public?"

"Well if you put it that way, how about we shoot the breeze at your house? I can grab some Sunkern Café takeout and meet you there. How's that sound?"

My stomach growled loudly at his suggestion, which meant that he wasn't going to take no for an answer, "Fine." I grumbled.

* * *

I sipped quietly out of a berry soda that Flynn had bought me. He held a bowl of salad in his paws as he inspected my living room. The setting sun outside made the sky an orange hue.

"Seems a lot more empty here than usual, you doing some spring cleaning or something?" He spoke again when I took too long to come up with an excuse, "How come you're still starin' blanks man? A nice cold cola always cheers you up."

_I can't lie to you anymore..._

"Flynn I-... I need to tell you something." I mumbled, holding the soda can at my lap.

"Did I mess up your order?"

"No but… before I tell you. Please, promise me that you won't tell anyone. Not even Mabel." I looked up from the floor to give him a serious look.

His jolly expression went away, he nodded respectfully and placed his salad on the armrest of the sofa.

_How come this time it worked?_

I bit my lip, knowing that I was going back against my own word to keep this a secret, but I couldn't resist the urge anymore, I wanted to at least say goodbye. "I'm… I'm leaving. I'm leaving Cradle Town, Flynn."

"You mean… like for vacation or...?" He sat up from his lounging position, "You don't mean like, you're gonna be gone for good, right?"

"I am, Flynn - I'm moving. I can't stay here anymore."

"What's gotten into you? Don't tell it's because of that guy who's been scaring you."

"It _is _because of that. I almost got killed last night by those guys, whoever they are. Things are starting to get out of control, and I don't mean just them, everyone's been getting on my nerves."

"Bullshit!" He suddenly shouted, hammering an arm onto my coffee table with a loud _thud,_ "So what if you do leave then? Aren't they just going to follow you?"

"I have a plan for that, but I can't tell you what it is. I trust you, and I know you trust me. Please, whatever happens, promise me that you won't say anything. "

"What the fuck are you-" He caught his rising voice and lowered it by gritting his teeth and clenching his fist tightly. "When… when are you leaving?" He tried to say calmly.

"Tonight." I said quickly, bracing myself for his reaction.

He tensed up as he was about to yell again, but instead just sighed and slid his paws down his face tiredly. "You know what? Fine. Just… fine. I'll keep your lousy promise, so do whatever the hell you want." He got up to leave. "It was nice knowing you, Milo."

"Hey! Don't be like that!" I tried to say to him before he left, "It's not like I'll be gone forever! We could come see eachother after a while and-"

I stopped once I realized he was already gone.

* * *

When night came, I made one last inventory check. I didn't have a lot of provisions, so I needed to make sure I reached my destination quickly. When I confirmed that all my preparations were complete, along with my fake suicide note neatly laid out on a table, filled with things I'm fairly certain a depressed Pokemon would say, I took a step outside and locked the door behind me, for the final time. Before I exited out of the clearing, I took a glance back at my garden, then at Flynn's house, and then at my entire neighborhood. I gulped and kept on walking before I had any second thoughts.

_I'm sorry…_

Back at the fated cliff that was the birthplace of all my recent woes, I looked down until I had a good perspective on where the rocky outcroppings were so I could make a safe descent downwards. Before jumping, however, I still needed to carry out the most crucial part of my plan. Out from my messenger bag, I pulled out the scarf that I had a love and hate relationship with. I hesitated when I held it in front of my face, but I knew I had to do this quickly, anybody who sees a Leafeon with a gray scarf will quickly be identified as… well, me.

I tore it up into two, along a few bits of fabric here and there to make it look more ragged and authentic. I climbed the apple tree next to the river and carefully stood over a relatively thin-looking branch that hung right over the cliffedge, then I snapped it in two. I proceeded to place one half of the scarf on the point where the tree limb broke to make it look like I had fallen down to my demise. I still am going to be taking a plunge down the bluff, but I won't be dead once I'm down there.

When I climbed back down the fruit tree, I took another brief look down the precipice so I had a good idea on where I should land, then leaped down once I was well informed. Taking deep breaths in between each hop to the next protruding platform, I successfully made my way down the fatal height. It actually wasn't that hard, since I was travelling light. It would've been near impossible to do if I had my heavy rucksack on, even with the help of the physique that I still kept somewhat maintained from my training to be a pacifist ninja. It was in fact quite exhilarating whenever I was in mid air… but I won't be addicted by that feeling again.

When my paws touched grass once more, I found myself to be right next to the lake where the waterfall emptied out into. I discovered a tight, yet clearly visible spot between two sturdy rocks along the banks where I could shove the other half of my scarf without worrying that it would be washed away by the river. Now if any of the more adventurous investigators comes to search for me (the first one that comes to mind is that innocent little Eevee reporter), they'll assume that my lifeless body was swept off into god knows where by the current and stop their pursuit.

I pulled out a map to get a better understanding of my surroundings. I doubt many Pokémon have found a way down here like me. Fortunately I had drawn a path to Floridity before I left home. Normally it would take a week to get to the town on foot, but since I took one of the most daring shortcuts possible, I should be there in a few days tops.

When I stuffed the map back into my pack, I heard a blood-curdling scream that sent a shiver down my spine. The sound came from back up the cliffside. It didn't take long for me to figure out who it was from.

_Crap, I totally forgot that she comes here a lot at night!_

I dashed off into the cover provided by the nearby forest before the Sylveon mustered up the courage to try to look down. I kept up a jogging pace once I was sure I was out of sight, mostly because I wanted to cover as much distance between me and Cradle Town before it blows up from the uproar of my disappearance.

Right when I grew tired from my mini-marathon, it began to rain. It was only a light drizzle, but the weather is sure to get worse. The already dark night started to become pitch-black as rain clouds filled the sky. I took cover under a large, hollowed out tree and put together a small campfire. There also was a dried grass bedding already in here, likely made by a previous traveler, which was good, since I didn't bring a sleeping bag. Alone next to a cozy fire, I ate some of my berry rations as I watched the rain outside grow more intense.

I was finally free, free from all the dangers and attention that I had garnered at Cradle. Coming to terms with the idea made me happy, and I loosened up a little as I relaxed in the warm interior of the tree.

That would prove to be a mistake, however.

Previously, I had to resort to suppressing a bit of my morality in order to carry out my escapist plot. And now that that was complete, the full realization of the repercussions of my actions hit me like a ton of bricks.

My whole body started shaking uncontrollably. I curled up into a fetal position and squeezed my head to try to remedy the insufferable sensation of my mind being flooded with emotions, but it proved to be futile.

"Oh my god… Mabel… Flynn… I left them…" I murmured to the flames in front of me, tears began to run down my face. "I really did it, I left everything behind."

I fell onto my side, but the pain that followed was the least of my problems.

_They're going to think I actually killed myself! Oh god, why__ didn't I tell Flynn that this was all a ruse?_

A growl came out as I banged my head against the coarse inner walls of my shelter.

_And Stella! Oh man, I shouldn't have said that I wasn't gonna jump off that cliff._

It felt like my internal organs were being twisted and stretched when the thought of Mabel's heart being broken at the news of my death came to light. I failed to keep her content, all because I was too caught up in my own selfish acts.

_I promised to give her a chance! And I couldn't even give her that..._

I nearly ripped open my bag as I hastily fished out my journal. Writing my jumbled thoughts was the best coping mechanism I could think of at the moment.

_I wanna go back..._

* * *

**Thanks so much for tuning back in for another update! I'm truly flattered that so many of you guys are reading it! Please let me know how I'm doing, if you choose to review!**


	16. Chapter 9 - Settlement

**Chapter 9 - Settlement**

The rest of the trip to Floridity was more of the same - walking during the day, and camping under some shabby shelter when it gets dark. I was homesick the moment I left, so most nights I would go to sleep with a terrible feeling churning in my stomach, and that's just putting it lightly. In the mornings I would wake up with the expectation that I was still in my comfy bed, but then I would always rise to the crushing reality that I had left for good. Hopefully I'll get over it soon, afterall, there's no going back now, and I have a new life ahead of me, whether I like it or not.

I got useful information about the surrounding area from fellow wayfarers on some trails and resupplied at outposts that would appear occasionally on certain routes. They were mainly used by mystery dungeon delvers preparing for their expeditions. The gruff and intimidating looks the explorers had made me tend to avoid them whenever possible. Though when I had no other reliable candidates to ask for directions, I was pleasantly surprised to found out that they were actually quite hospitable.

I arrived at Floridity almost three days earlier than the anticipated week long journey, thanks to all the obscure shortcuts I took, which includes my daring parkour down the cliff that should've killed me. I cut loose for the rest of the day by lounging around an inn and getting myself acquainted with the newly established settlement and it's setup, which had the standard layout of having all its commercial buildings and services located at the center, or a plaza, basically.

_Are all towns like this?_

Because Floridity is new and still developing, it lacked many of the more complex recreational centers, like gyms, theaters, or other things that might attract tourists. They'll likely be implemented later, but so far the only thing drawing Pokémon here is the fact that this place was founded just recently. The residences surrounding it were also more uniform than the ones at Cradle. Instead of having homes randomly dotting around the landscape, the neighborhoods were more traditional and linear, by that I mean each building was evenly spaced apart in neat rows with the front of the houses facing eachother. The variety of the dwellings were sacrificed for the sake of rapid expansion and simplicity for the Timburr construction crews. The only types of homes one will ever hope to see are the oversized stump style houses, which I personally don't see as much of a problem.

The majority of my funds I had accumulated for two years went into the payment for a house at the very end of one such neighborhood. Unsurprisingly, it was virtually the same as my old one, aside from one or two extra rooms and a few other modern additions. Despite the extra area, it was actually cheaper than expected. Apparently this place isn't getting as many immigrants as it advertised in its pamphlets, and is actually kind of desperate for ways to increase its population, not that I'm complaining of course. Honestly, I was more concerned with getting the whole buying process out of the way, rather than the pricing. It should be the other way around, but the mere thought of having to go through the long and tedious steps of purchasing a homestead makes me groan. That stuff can take up an entire day, and filling out legal documents is not how I want to spend an afternoon.

Once I was finally able to declare myself a proper citizen of Floridity, I could finally begin my first steps into adulthood, which was something I didn't plan on doing in my early twenties. I intended to at least get a bachelor's degree before I did anything. So while I might only have two years of college education to my name, which isn't very impressive, I like to think that I used my time at Cradily University very effectively (if you don't count being swarmed by obnoxious peers when they found out I was some kind of superhero). I knew how to make proper connections, good investments, et cetera, et cetera.

After waiting a few months for my new garden to grow by living off the remainder of my savings, I went around town to hand out samples of my harvests in hopes that I might get a buyer, similar to how I first greeted my neighbors in Cradle Town. The hard work I put into raising my crops made up for my lack of social skills as I went from door-to-door, and I found success when I started receiving orders from the local restaurants and grocers in need of fresh ingredients and produce. I became the town supplier of delicious berries, which didn't exactly align with my dreams of opening up a store or a diner myself, but technically I was still showing the world how great berries can be, so I'm satisfied. Soon, the once bland dishes served at the plaza were now much more palatable, causing more Pokémon to start going out to eat, myself included. Needless to say, my business has become both respected and profitable.

I'm honestly just thankful that the town's opinion of me isn't as over-the-top as my old one. I won't deny that jumping around trees _was a_ pretty flashy way to build up my ego, but it still didn't prepare for how much attention it was going to garner. In Cradle Town, everyone would practically topple over themselves to try to talk to me, and would exaggerate my past actions so much that I couldn't possibly hope to reach those expectations (not to mention that someone there had a murderous vendetta against me too, for reasons that I don't think I want to find out). One could only imagine how much pressure and anxiety that would induce. In Floridity, however, I think I've hit the sweet spot on where I want my reputation to be. The appreciation of my efforts were barely ever verbalized, and I could take pleasure in knowing that I was accepted by the community without having to be reminded of it constantly. I was able to keep social interaction to a minimum in fact, and whenever I did have to speak to strangers, I can expect short and sweet exchanges, and not "_Oh my god! Are you Milo, the forest savior?!"_.

_I guess I'm not cut out to be a superhero._

Growing and selling berries is probably going to be my life from now on. I'll be doing the same thing over and over again, all the way until I retire. Just thinking about it already makes it sound repetitive. I've been doing the same thing anyway, since my current methods in keeping myself afloat aren't too different from how I earned enough to pay my yearly tuition for Cradily University. All things considered however, I guess I'm comfortable with the idea of living the rest of my days like this. Trivial as it might be, I have everything I needed, and I'm earning more than enough to keep me content. Though lately I've been having an odd feeling that there's something missing in my life, but as long as I have some time each day to nap or relax, I think I'll be fine.

* * *

I've been living in Floridity for about six or seven months now, and I can still say that my supplying firm hasn't collapsed. I like to think that it was all in thanks to my prodigal entrepreneur skills, as not many can boast that they've become a successful businessman fresh out of college, but it was probably because I had the extraordinary luck of being in the right place at the right time. I don't plan on expanding my market anytime soon though, I intend to keep it regional at best, lest I attract customers outside of town that also happen to remember my past. Profit is not the main objective of my enterprise anyway, being the owner of a large and materialistic corporation isn't my intention, though having a sizable income to pay off my student loans doesn't hurt.

One might think that being able to start up such a thriving business so quickly would mean that I could sit back and enjoy the rest of life without a care in the world, but things are never that simple.

_If only it were..._

Obtaining and maintaining any level of wealth requires lots of effort for the average joe. About a third of my "nine to five" job hours are spent in the fields in my backyard. I always love tending to my garden, so there's no problem for me there. What I _do _have an issue with are the other two main parts of my daily to-do lists: filling out orders by hauling shipments to the plaza, and then having to do paperwork right after so I can keep track of my transactions. They're pretty much the boring, complicated, and official stuff that Pokémon don't tell you about when trying to recruit you into business, especially the paperwork part. Lugging around crates and/or baskets of fruit to where they need to be isn't as bad as doing mind-numbing accounting, since at least it's a good workout and doesn't leave my brain fried by the end of it. No matter how hard one can try, there's no escape from the dreaded office work. I could hire someone to do it for me, but I don't think I have the right personality to be bossing others around.

I preferred to work alone and at home. It's an introvert's dream working environment. It seems awesome at first, but it actually causes a terrible negative feedback loop. Being left to my own accord, I end up procrastinating and filing my sales late into the night, causing me to wake up tired and depressed the next morning, which is not a good mood to have when knowing that I have to do the same three-step routine all over again. Basically, my predictions going into this job on how I'd view it in the future went exactly as I expected.

_Hooray for being a grown-up!_

The weekends, where I'd have more free time to sunbathe or whatever, just weren't enough to get me fired up for the upcoming weekdays. Naturally, I began to search for ways to cope. Drinking my sorrows/boredom away with booze was of course an obvious no-no, my awful experiences with liquor has led to me avoid it more than anything. I chose to resolve my stress with a more plausible solution - coffee, though I'm not sure if it's that much better than alcohol in the long run. It certainly helped in making me feel more energized and awake, but caffeine definitely isn't the healthiest option out there. Also, I now pretty much match the stereotype of a restless, overburdened, middle-class worker.

* * *

By now, in the season of winter, Floridity has become more and more like a fully-fledged settlement. The majority of the town's construction projects finally stopped about a week ago. It not only meant that I could sleep without having to hear the Earth shake every now and then, but a town-wide festival was going to be held soon to celebrate its completion. I spent the last few days filling out a large order of berries that were going to be prepared into a bunch of flavorful dishes. There's this novelty feeling in getting to see a colony grow into a blossoming community before your very eyes, which might explain why I was so excited for the occasion. Normally I'd be hesitant to go to such a big social gathering, especially by my own choice, but I'm not one to pass up the opportunity to try out some exotic cuisines.

The festival was held at the plaza on a chilly Friday evening, and I made my appearance early to get first dibs on some of the meals. I had some friendly banter with some of the fellow residents too, since that's something that can't really be avoided, but I tried to keep them as short as possible. I was mainly out here for the food, and a rare public event like this is bound to attract tourists, near and far, so I didn't want to stay for very long. I made a few rounds checking out the cool booths and activities made to entertain children and adults alike, things like the standard dart-balloon and ring toss games that are probably rigged in some way.

Once I had my stomach stuffed with homemade pastries, I went back home to finish up my work for the day. I haven't started recording today's sales, so I had a long night ahead of me. The thought made me give out an exasperated sigh, but I nonetheless readied myself for the laborious task.

I only was able to make a few pen strokes before I heard knocking at my door. My first thought was to dismiss my late visitor quickly so I wouldn't lose focus, but that idea was thrown completely out the window when my guest turned out to be someone that I did not think I would see ever again. I should've known that my luck was going to run out inevitably.

In front of me stood a Leafeon that I accidentally ghosted for over half a year. She gasped the moment we locked eyes.

"... M-Mabel?"

"Milo?" She said in a tone full of hope, "It's you… it's really you..."

"Uhh… hi?" I waved sheepishly, which was probably wrong answer.

"You… you…" Her voice quivered, eyes beginning to look watery, "You _asshole_!" She suddenly shouted, raising a paw at me, causing me to flinch. The blow never came, and instead I was tackled into a hug, making me stagger backwards in order to keep my balance. She began hammering at my chest, "You awful, _awful_, Pokémon!"

"Wha-?" I let out, too bewildered to say anything else.

She dug her face deeper into my torso, drenching it with her sorrowful tears, "How could you? How could you leave the way you did?" She sobbed. "You're horrible!"

"Ermm..."

It took me a minute to process what was happening. My instincts on what to do when Mabel's all sad like this started kicking in, and I reasoned that the best thing to do now was to just hold her close and let her continue to wail. I had a pretty good guess on why she's like this, so the least I could do was give her solace. She wept while I pulled her inside and closed the door to warm ourselves up, which she probably didn't notice. We stood there for almost half an hour until she began to calm down a bit once she started hiccuping.

"I thought you were dead! Everyone said you killed yourself!" She yelled, striking a paw at my left shoulder.

"I know."

"You left without saying anything!"

"I know."

"You're… you're a coward!"

"I know." I murmured, carefully rubbing her back, "And I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

An idea came up that prompted me to start humming a gentle "_Shhh~" _sound into her ear. Within a few minutes, her loud sobbing turned into soft whimpering, before promptly falling asleep in my arms.

_This would be adorable, but now I'm covered in snot._

I laid her down gently on my living room sofa and pulled a fluffy blanket over her sleeping figure before going to wash off the mucus she slobbered over me. This isn't the first time she has used me as tissue paper. I knelt down beside her when I went back to check on her, gently wiping away any remaining tears. She was out like a log. I guess crying for such an extended period will do that to you. She needs it though, her emotions are out of whack; she is undoubtedly having a worse time than I am. Regrettably, seeing her in such a peaceful state of slumber made me drowsy, and before I knew it, I was dozing off too.

* * *

I woke up before Mabel did the next morning. Thank god I did, having her wake up to find that I was sleeping right next to her probably wouldn't end well for me. I stirred her awake with the smell of roasted Chesto berries. She yawned cutely as she sat up from the couch and stretched.

"Morning Mabel, sleep well?" I tried to say cheerfully, but my voice came out as shaky. I tried to hide my nervousness by offering her some breakfast.

She turned to me, eyes and ears alert, then blinked at me a few times before loosening up and accepting the plate. "Is this a dream?"

"Nope. And you're not the only one who was thinking that."

She tested my claim by flicking me on the forehead, giggling once she saw me wince. "Okay, let's say I believe you, for now."

"So, are we gonna talk about last night? Or…"

The tan eeveelution had a brief, thoughtful expression as she tried to recall what had happened. The realization of the ugly episode she had made her cover her face. "N-No! Y-You weren't supposed to see me like that!"

"I didn't mean _that_." I attempted a smile to get her to calm down. "I mean, are you well enough to answer some questions?"

She nibbled on the berry I gave her to hide her fluster. "Maybe. You still haven't told me why you left. Everyone in Cradle thinks you committed suicide." She prodded at my upper body, "And yet here you are, in the flesh. I'm still having a hard time believing it's you."

"Same here actually. What are you doing here?"

"Answer my question first. Why did you drop out of school so suddenly and then just disappear?"

I poured myself a hot mug of coffee and sat on the other side of the recliner. Mabel shook her head when I offered her some. "Well, why do you think? It was only a matter of time until I cracked from how everyone's been treating me there, and I couldn't just announce where I was going."

"So you decided to fake your own death?"

"I had to. It was the only way I could get everybody to stop breathing down my neck all the time."

"And you never stopped to think about how much it might have affected me, or Flynn, or anybody else you knew?" She pressed with a rising tone, crossing her arms.

"Of course I have! I'm really sorry that I made you worry, but it was the only option I could think of at the time, and I thought that telling you might make things worse."

"Are you saying you don't trust me?"

"N-No! That's not it at all! Look… I-I'm not asking you to forgive me. I know what I did was stupid. But you have to believe that I didn't want to leave either."

"But you still left in the end. Without telling me." She glared.

I slumped into the sofa in defeat without saying anything, biting my lip to help me withstand the sting of her words. It didn't seem right to argue with someone who was angry for all the right reasons.

"I spent the last seven months thinking you were dead! Do you how that would make someone like me feel?" She huffed, "I was in love with you!"

I looked at her cautiously, "... You mean you're not anymore?"

"I-" Suddenly she fell silent, "I don't know, this is still a lot to take in." She said quietly.

"Have you started seeing other guys again?"

"... No." Her voice trailed off.

She looked a bit flushed, so in awkward moment of silence that followed soon after, I surmised that the best thing to do is change the subject while she was still pacified, "Umm... if you don't mind, can you at least tell me how you knew I was here?"

"I didn't." She said blankly.

"You didn't? How could have you have found me then?"

"I just decided on a whim that I wanted to come check out the festival yesterday, but then I ended up getting little lost finding my way around town, and then I saw someone who looked like you. I thought I was seeing things, so I... err... followed them. When it was you who answered the door... I kinda got emotional and… well, here we are." She extended both arms at me before crossing them again.

_You stalked some random guy on the street, and it turned out to be me?_

"...Okay… did anybody else from Cradle come here?"

"No, I did want to go with some friends though, but they were all busy, so it's just me."

"You came all the way out here? Alone?"

"You're one to talk." Her eyes narrowed at me, "But yeah, it's not everyday a new town pops up, and I heard that Floridity's a great place to do some holiday shopping, so I thought I'd come check it out."

"And are you staying here long?"

She gave me a scrutinizing look whilst covering herself with the blanket she was sitting on, "I was planning on leaving tomorrow, but I think I might stay a little longer now that I've learned that you've been hiding out here all this time. I think you owe me some more explanations."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well..." She had a thoughtful expression before grinning at me. "Are you free today?"

* * *

As it turns out, much to my surprise, Mabel has still been counting the days of when we'd finally go do something together - just with the two of us. I obliged because given the circumstances, like how it probably took her days just to get here, it'd be rude on so many levels to refuse. Fortunately it was the weekend, meaning I had the entire day to show her the sights around town, so long as I remember to eventually finish up the sales statements that I was in the middle of doing last night. I tried my best to keep her entertained. She didn't deserve the torture I put her through with my disappearance, and I think deep down she still feels a bit jarred from yesterday, so I made it my personal mission to make sure she stays happy and content. There's always going to be difficulties with having such an ambition, as it can be hard to tell exactly what a girl wants at any given point. Mabel has even said herself once that I'm pretty bad at picking up signals, but nobody's perfect. When it got dark, she insisted that she should just crash at my house instead of an inn, for "convenience" reasons. I objected at first, since it _is_ pretty weird for opposites sexes to be sharing a living space together, but I caved soon enough. I mostly just didn't want to take the time to clear out one of my guest rooms for her.

We caught up on what's been going on with our lives as we strolled through the surrounding forests on the following days. During some activities where we were alone - watching the clouds go by, having a picnic, stuff like that (these are all her ideas too, I'm really just along for the ride for whatever she has planned) - she would frequently take advantage of the moment by saying she needs to "borrow" my shoulder and lean on me. I eventually learned that these new and bold kinds of behaviors indicated that she was about to get sentimental. One time it happened when she took me out to watch the sunset, atop a hill on the outskirts of town.

"_It's been hard, you know?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Do you know what it's like to think you've lost someone?"_

_"Umm... is this about-"_

"_Imagine having someone close to you, someone that you care about. One moment, you start to believe that they're always going to be by your side. And then the next day... they're just… gone. Forever."_

"_Mabel I… I didn't mean to hurt you."_

"_You don't have to keep__ apologizing. I'm just trying to say that it really means a lot to me, knowing that you're alive after so long."_

"_But... I thought you were still mad at me."_

_"Well, yeah. Of course I'd be a little mad. But... __maybe I won't be if you make a deal with me."_

_"What did you have in mind?"_

_"Just... promise me that you won't try to fix things yourself anymore. If you're in trouble, talk to me."_

"_Okay. I will. I promise."_

_"And..."_

_"And what?.. Hey, what are you… *mmph!*" _

"_... I'm still in love with you, Milo."_

I'm totally convinced she planned the whole thing - the cliché timing, the picturesque scenery, everything. Other than that, it was nice to know that she was being to be upfront about what she was thinking. If I were to look past her current attitude towards me, it's clear that Mabel's the same as she's always been, and by that I mean she still finds enjoyment in teasing me at every opportunity. I don't know if I should feel honored or concerned that she still remembers a lot about me. She knows that I'm still very much a sleepyhead, and has correctly guessed on all of my sunbathing spots around the outskirts of town during our strolls in the nearby forest together. It's not only embarrassing, but I have little ways to respond to her wisecracking whims.

On the brighter side of things, I was ecstatic at the prospect of finally having some company. It's been too long since I've felt a real sense of companionship, and frankly, I missed it. I'll probably never work up the courage to actually say it to her though. As much as I would like for her to know how much I appreciated her decision to spend her vacation with me, I don't have a clue on how to go about it without getting myself all timid in the process.

Time flies when life gets the least bit enjoyable, and before I knew it, a week of her staying here had already passed, and she had to prepare for the long trip back to Cradle and return to her university lectures, which is something I couldn't keep myself from poking fun at whenever she complains about it, as it's one of the few ways I get to get back at her teasing. Before she left, I made absolutely sure to relay one more message to her.

"_Wait! Before you go, please promise me one thing. Don't-"_

"_I know, I know. Don't tell anyone about you, right? __That goes without saying, doesn't it? I'll keep your dirty little secret, but is it okay if I tell Flynn? I think he has the right to know where you are. He still feels guilty about what happened to you."_

_"... Yeah, you can tell Flynn, but no one else. Okay?"_

"_What about Joy?"_

"_No! For the love of god, do _not _tell her. Just having you two know is already too much!"_

All I could do was hope that she keeps her end of the promise. Nonetheless, I was back to my mundane lifestyle where my own home was a glorified office cubicle. I likely won't be seeing Mabel again until her semester is over, maybe longer. She has since resorted to keep in contact through letters. Reading her heartfelt memos were a million times better than the fan mail I used to get when I was some kind of celebrity at Cradle; they never failed to brighten my day up. By most Pokemon's perspectives, she and I have a long-distance relationship going on, but I think we were more like pen pals. Mostly because I sign my letters to her under the alias of "Larry" - a name that I came up with on the fly when I was writing my first response to her letters. I used a false name since I felt like my identity should still be kept confidential. Fortunately, Mabel was able to figure out who "Larry" was, so no problems came out of it.

I'm not entirely sure what to think about what we had going on, but as long as Mabel's happy, I'm happy. The way I see it, I have a commitment to uphold. I've caused her so much grief that it's a wonder she doesn't see me as the devil. She's seen enough sadness to last several lifetimes, so it's only right that I try to make amends as best I can.

Needless to say, I was looking forward to what summer had to bring.

* * *

**Thanks again for reading! You guys have my utmost gratitude for continuing to read my lil' story!**

**Please leave your honest reviews if you so choose. Writers can't improve if they don't get any feedback afterall. Thanks again!**


	17. Journal Entry 5

_Entry #121_

_So far I think I've adjusted quite well to my life in Floridity. There's still no sign  
of anybody coming to seek my whereabouts, nor have I heard anything remotely  
related to some great "hero of the woods" that went and offed themself. If  
anything, most of the gossip around town is about the local mystery dungeon  
adventurer's guild. So for the most part, I'm in the clear, which is great, since I'm  
starting to get used to living here._

_Things are never perfect though, and working for days on end __has made me a bit  
lonely. Even the most isolated individuals need someone to talk to occasionally.  
Leaving Cradle Town and everything I held dear felt like the equivalent of getting  
my soul drained. Even though I have my dream job, it did little to fill up the hole in  
my heart; I was empty inside. I'm in no right to complain, afterall, I did bring this  
upon myself. I'm aware that just about everyone faces these kinds of internal  
struggles once they become independent, and I don't mean just loneliness. I'm actually  
__one of the lucky ones, as I was spared of having to face the difficulties of remaining financially  
stable, so maybe I'm just being spoiled. Perhaps this is all part of growing up, and I'm  
just now coming to terms with reality. The closest I've had to any real company are the  
annual postcards I send to my parents to let them know I'm okay, but without them  
actually being here, it doesn't really count. I wish I stayed in school longer._

_My solitude was probably why I was so overjoyed to meet Mabel for the first time in  
forever. I couldn't believe it at first, and neither could she apparently. Who would've  
__thought that after all the precautions I made to ensure that no one could trace me  
back to Floridity, I would be rediscovered not even a year later by some girl that was  
just out for the holidays? I almost didn't even bother to go to the festival, and I was  
only there for a short window of time. It's like I can only be either extremely lucky,  
or extremely unlucky. I don't even know which side of the fortune spectrum my  
chance encounter with Mabel falls in. At least it was Mabel, and not someone like  
the little Eevee reporter. The mere thought of that middle-schooler shoving a notepad  
in my face for an interview makes me shrudder._

_On one of the last few days Mabel had before she had to go back to Cradle Town, she  
pulled me aside to watch the sunset together. I was only going along with it to be nice,  
as I didn't think anything would come out of it, but then she confessed that she still  
harbored feelings for me, even after months of being separated. She even kissed me!  
Why? How? I can see so many flaws within myself that I can't even begin to comprehend  
what she finds so attractive. The best reason I can think of is because she pities me.  
She's a sweet girl and it's definitely a nice change of pace to have someone to talk to,  
but I've broken her heart twice now, so why would she still want to settle for a wimpy  
buffoon like me? Just because I've hurt her unintentionally doesn't mean it's justified.  
I even saw the effects of my actions when she first appeared at my doorstep as a quivering  
mess. Seeing her in such remorse had a terrible pang on my conscious. Just thinking about  
how I've been repaying her kindness by making her suffer is going to haunt me for the rest  
of my days. She's not one to hold grudges, but I don't think she's ever going to forgive  
me for abandoning her and everyone else I knew in Cradle. I still have trouble forgiving  
myself, to be honest. The best thing I can do now to redeem myself is to vow to never make  
her sad again, but that's what all friends should already be doing for eachother._

_Mabel has also been writing to me. I get one or two letters from her every week, each one  
describes how her day was, how things are going back in Cradle, and how much she wants  
to see me again. The tone of her writing perfectly reflects her character - chirpy and, at  
times, sentimental. I would be lying if I said that her letters don't energize me more than  
what coffee does, because they do. Though that might be because she has been my only source  
of contact with another Pokémon as of late. Maybe I'm also being too sentimental. _


	18. Chapter 10 - Courtship

**Chapter 10 - Courtship**

_Milo,_

_Hey old buddy, old pal! Did you think this was another letter from Mabel? Well then  
you thought wrong!_

_I had no idea what to think when Mabel told me you were still kicking. You had me  
fooled, that's for sure. When you told me to not say anything about what you were  
going to do, I never would've suspected that you were going to fake your own death!  
I thought I could have noticed the signs you were making and stopped you from  
tumbling down that cliff! You said it right to my face that you were leaving, but I was  
still in denial. I was down in the dumps when I thought my last words to you were  
going to be some bittersweet ones. I guess I shouldn't have ignored you in the end,  
huh? Sorry for not taking this "stalker" problem of yours more seriously. Don't apologize  
for what you did, I get it now. I was just thinking that there was no way in hell someone  
would try to do those things in such a quaint little town, but if it was enough to drive you  
away, then I guess it must at least be somewhat true. Sorry man. I'll try to make it up to  
you someday._

_That being said however, I'll also probably try to strangle you if I see you again so soon.  
Sorry man, but this is still a lot to process. Just when I thought I was finally ready to accept  
the reality that you were gone, you decide to pull this stunt on me? You can bet your ass that  
I'm a bit peeved about it. I'm glad you're alive and all, but I need some time to recuperate  
__before I think about stopping by to visit or something. I bet Mabel chewed you out when  
she found you, and rightfully so, if you ask me. You should consider yourself lucky that it  
wasn't me who got their paws on you._

_And don't worry. Your whole scheme on making everyone think you died worked like a  
charm. Everyone in Cradle Town has accepted the fact that you're at the bottom of some  
ocean or lake, at least, that's what the local newspaper said. The press made it sound like  
a big deal about it too. Some Pok__émon here __even wanted to hold a funeral for you. Can you  
believe that? It never actually happened, but I bet you didn't think you had that much of a  
cult following here, did ya? Just how many Pok__émon did you save when you were out being  
a hero or whatnot__? I honestly still can't believe it was you who did all those things._

_Things have calmed down just recently, like about a month ago. At first, it was hectic when  
news of your "suicide" began to spread, especially around campus. Writing down all the specifics  
would take too long, so just imagine what you think would happen when some crazy new fad  
takes an entire town by storm, only to have it go out of fashion the moment everyone gets  
hooked on it. I'm pretty sure the source of all the rumors came from Stella, one of Mabel's  
friends. I don't know if that name still rings a bell for you, but she has been crying about it for  
weeks the day after you told me you were leaving. Would you be surprised that I was the first  
one to break into your house when I heard about it? I found your little farewell note and  
everything. Needless to say I got pretty emotional when I read it. I gotta say man, I never  
would have thought the stuff you wrote on there was fake! Have you written stuff before?_

_I even let Mabel read it, but I probably shouldn't have in hindsight, since she has been a total  
wreck afterwards. I also kinda turned your will into a pile of ashes when I was done with it. Not  
like you're gonna need it anytime soon now that you're not actually dead, right? Look on the  
bright side, at least no one else got to see it! _

_All in all, things are just fine on the homefront. I've still got other buddies to hang out with,  
so don't get all concerned about leaving me alone. I will admit that things just aren't the  
same without you to mess with, but hey, sometimes life is just like that. If you insist on  
being guilty about something, I suggest you keep doing whatever it is you're doing with  
Mabel. I probably don't have to tell you this, but she has been taking your sudden absence  
a lot harder than anybody else. Maybe you'll find a brain to use while you're at it, if you  
know what I mean._

_P.S. - I hope you don't mind, but I've been looking after your house ever since you left…  
and by that I mean I just use it to store my extra shit in._

_ \- Flynn_

* * *

There are several weeks between now and when summer arrives. Normally I'd have no problem waiting for such a long period, but getting to meet an old friend again makes me want to skip forward in time to when I can see them again. I guess it does serve as a nice motivator to get me through the days.

During the winter months, I get less orders for food shipments since there aren't a lot of berries that can grow in cold weather. I didn't mind the slight reduction in revenue, mostly because I had a lot more free time compared to other seasons. Floridity doesn't seem to get a lot of snow, nor does it often reach freezing temperatures, so my sunbathing excursions thankfully remain largely unaffected. On some occasions where I have a considerable portion of the day left after napping and whatnot, I choose to go out and try to get more involved with my local community.

Unfortunately, the Pokémon here that are within my age group only seem to like to hang around taverns and other "mature" places. Going to the former of the aforementioned places isn't that much of a problem since it's never mandatory to buy an alcoholic beverage at those establishments (though it is implied that it is pretty much obligatory). I still am a little intimidated to go to them, since I'm convinced that the bar owners think I'm a wuss for always ordering fruit juice instead of their more intoxicating choices, though they've yet to voice their criticisms.

That's not to say that the local saloons, nightclubs, and the like are the only places to find my fellow young adults, but they are places that have become associated with us. When I sometimes go to local cafés or library to spend some of my leisure time, I see and overhear groups of not only rowdy teenagers, but also other Pokémon around my age discussing their future hangout plans. Whether it's going to see a play at the theater, perusing an art gallery at night, or just having a nice chat at a bakery, I can't help but feel envious of them. They must all be a tightly-knit group of friends that do just about everything together. A small part of me wanted to ask if I could join them, but I knew that was never going to happen. My ability to hold a conversation leaves a lot to be desired, much less starting up one.

_So bored..._

I do try to get as many opportunities as I can to socialize, since I know I can't keep relying on Flynn and Mabel for company. It pained me to have to put myself out of my comfort zone, but I did end up enjoying the handful of interactions I had with my peers, though it still felt like they were few and far in between. I keep hoping that I'll improve myself overnight, but instead I keep reevaluating on the things I said to a complete stranger during what was probably nothing more than a casual exchange. The typical concerns of "_Did I say anything offensive?"_ or "_Do they think I'm a weirdo?" _would continue to pollute my mind long after it happened. It doesn't help that I start stressing about these things whenever I'm trying to sleep or relax. It's like my own brain is actively working against me.

I'm really only trying to meet new Pokémon as a way to keep myself occupied, even by just a little. I still have trouble seeing myself in a positive light. I've learned the hard way that trying some "get rich quick" scheme in trying to better myself by playing superhero for Cradle Town was never going to be successful. Thinking back on the grand adventures I had during my glory days makes me feel like I should be full of pride, but instead it's just overshadowed by the guilt of me knowing that I ran away from it all.

The only real, tangible benefit I got from hitting the pubs during after hours was getting to learn all the local gossip. Apparently a new university had finally finished being built. It was going to boast the most modern facilities for learning, as well as having highly decorated professors among its teaching staff. It's for these reasons that tons of students are trying to enroll. There's so much in fact that admission rates are already lower than some of the most competitive colleges from across the region, which are known for only accepting kids who are total brainiacs, or if they have some over-the-top, prestigious talent or something. Basically, the town should be expecting a wave of both tourists and transfer students within the coming months. I actually spent a lot of time debating if I should apply, since I liked the idea of continuing my education, but ultimately decided not to. I've already made a decent living for myself, and I'm a bit afraid of the academic expectations there. The loans that would accumulate from going to a school that pretty much became an instant ivy league probably would've broke the bank anyway, and I don't feel like having to pay those off again.

* * *

Waiting through the remainder of winter and the entirety of spring was agonizing. Each day was filled with working, eating, and then sleeping. I felt like I had done little in accomplishing my personal goals, if any at all. The attempts I made to be more outgoing always ended up in me being held back by my uncertainty and anxiety. I desperately needed to do something fun and different compared to just napping all day, and knowing that I couldn't because I lacked the courage to do so made me feel so powerless.

It shouldn't be much of a surprise then on how giddy I was when I got word from Mabel that she was done with her junior year and was probably only a day away from Floridity by the time I received her letter. She also alluded in her postcard that she had a surprise for me, which only helped to thin my patience in wondering what it might be.

The following noon was when the long-awaited knock on my door finally came. My mind rushed with all different sorts of plans on how Mabel and I could spend the day when I answered the door.

"Milo! Oh, It's been so _looooong_." The Leafeon exclaimed, hugging me the moment I opened the door. "I missed you."

"Yeah, it's been a while." I felt elated when we broke away. I was about to invite her in, but a strange feeling in my gut stopped me from doing so. I was getting inexplicably ominous vibes that made my stomach churn.

I tilted my head to look behind Mabel, and found the likely source of the disturbance. An exhausted Espeon was sitting on her haunches. She had both a satchel slung over her shoulder and a big travel bag on her back. She returned my gaze with a yawn.

My eyes shifted back towards Mabel with shock and disappointment. "You brought Joy?! Why'd you tell her I was here?"

_Well hello to you too, Milo._

_I wasn't talking to you!_

Mabel held her paws up defensively. "I didn't mean to! Honest! She made me tell her!"

"How?"

"She just wouldn't stop asking when I went away for winter break." The Leafeon slanted backwards when I continued to eye her skeptically. "Stop looking at me like that! My lips are sealed from now on! Including Joy's!" She turned her head towards the pink eeveelution, "Right Joy?"

"... Sure."

I glanced at both of them before letting out a huge sigh, "Okay well, I guess it doesn't really matter much anyway. Was she your surprise?"

"... Partially, but not really." Mabel answered, "The real surprise is this!" She pulled out a white envelope from the messenger bag she was wearing. It had a stamp with the Florid University logo on it - the new college that so many Pokémon are trying to get into. "Guess who was able to transfer here!" She motioned for Joy to do the same, who tiredly complied. Her letter was a lot less crumpled than Mabel's.

"Wow, really?... That's great." I said unsteadily. Joy was giving me that signature glare of hers.

_Why are you looking at me like that? It's creeping me out._

_No reason. Don't mind me._

"C'mon Milo, don't you get it? We can hang out as many times as we want now! Just like old times!"

"I know. It's just… I don't know what to say."

"Aww~... well I guess I'll take your speechlessness as a good sign."

While what she said was mostly correct, I mainly just found Joy's presence to be unnerving, especially when she seems so grouchy. I only just noticed that there was a bunch of luggage behind Mabel as well. It must've been a pain to carry all that over from Cradle Town to Floridity. "So uhh… need any help unpacking all of that?"

"Oh right… about that." Mabel shifted uncomfortably in place - a behavior I knew all too well. Whatever she was going to ask, I knew I wouldn't be able to refuse, since I'm in a position where I can't say no to her.

"What is it?"

"Can I move in with you?"

"What?! No!"

"Aww… but why?"

Her pout made me regret my immediate hypocrisy, but I still resolved to stand my ground. "Do you even know what you're asking? How many... erm... _problems_, we'd have if we started living together?"

"Then why did you let me stay with you before?"

"Because that wasn't permanent! Besides, what's wrong with the dorms in Florid University? I heard they're really nice."

"But I wanna stay with you." She whined.

"I'm sorry, but don't you think what you're asking is just a bit too sudden?"

The Leafeon groaned in response, "_Fiiiiine_. It was worth a try at least."

"Don't be like that. I'll be happy to do something else for you."

"Yeah yeah." She muttered before beginning to grab her things and walk away. "In that case, do you wanna show me where all the restaurants are again later tonight? I kinda forgot where everything is."

I nodded, "I'd love to."

"Great, I'll see you later then."

Joy gave me a silent nod of approval before trudging along after her... or at least I think it was. It was hard to tell from her constant scowling.

* * *

Mabel never came back that day. It could be because she took a long time to get settled in to her new surroundings, or that she was still steamed at me for refusing her. I need to be more careful about what I say to her.

I assumed that she had a lot of things to do, like college orientation and stuff, so I was probably lucky that she managed to squeeze in a quick visit with me yesterday. I didn't mind her absence as much as I thought I would. I had paperwork that I had put off since I was anxious all of yesterday in preparation for Mabel's arrival, even after she finally came. I began making it up early into the next morning, in hopes that I'd finish before the afternoon, but my brain in the morning probably won't let that happen. Unlike winter, summer is usually when the orders for berry shipments begin to flood my mailbox.

_Why does work have to start piling up when Mabel finally comes?_

Funnily enough, the dean of Florid University has recently become one of my customers, and a regular one at that. They apparently need tons of berries to stockpile in their dining halls for students and staff alike. I do find it a bit ironic that I, a lowly college dropout, has business ties with a school of such an elite caliber, but one shouldn't complain about additional profits, even if it does mean more labor too.

Mabel came to visit me at around dusk so I could take her around town. Unfortunately, I still wasn't even close to being done with my work, so I asked if she could wait until I was finished. I specifically had her lounge around my living room, which was completely separate from a relatively empty room that I use as my office so I wouldn't be distracted, though she usually still finds a way.

"_Miloooo._" The Leafeon moaned while stumbling through the door that led into my workspace. "What's taking so long?"

"Just a sec." I said quickly, "I'm almost done."

She stared at me scribbling calculations on a piece of scrap paper. "How long exactly?"

"I dunno, like an hour or two maybe?"

"An hour?! You call that 'almost done'?"

By then I was impatiently tapping my pen against the desk I was sitting at. "I've been at this all day, so… yeah. I would say so."

"Ugghhh, you've got to be kidding me."

"You're still a business major, right?" I grinned, spreading my arms out, "This is your future right here. If you're complaining about me doing it, then you're gonna be howling by the time you do have to do this."

"Stop that." She retorted, crossing her arms. She watched me take out the last paper I had to fill out from a folder. "What are you even doing anyway?"

"Just crunching numbers, basically."

Suddenly the tan eeveelution was behind me and looking over my shoulder, "Oh hey, I've done those kinds of forms before." She started nudging me out of my seat. "Let me do it."

I scoffed, "You're welcome to try." I stood up and gave her my chair. I chuckled at her ignorance. "Believe me, the practice stuff you do in school is a lot simpler than what you actually have to do. Don't be surprised if you don't get it."

"Pfft, whatever you say." She shook her head, "Don't think you can act so high and mighty just because this is your job. Now buzz off, you're ruining my focus."

_I should be the one saying that..._

"Sure sure." I said dismissively. I went out of the room for a few minutes to go pour myself some coffee. When I came back, I saw Mabel holding the page up, still staring blankly at it. "See? It's a lot harder than it-"

"I'm done."

I nearly choked when swallowing my drink, "Wha-?"

She placed the paper flat on the desk to reveal her handiwork. "I was just checking it over."

I snatched up the sheet and began to examine it closely. Everything was filled out correctly, and with handwriting that was a thousand times better than mine.

_It's even written in cursive…_

"What the-..." I looked up just in time to see Mabel's smug face, "How did you do it so fast?"

"What are you talking about? It's easy to do those quickly once you understand it. Are you saying you don't?" She mocked in an affectionate tone.

"O-Of course I know how to do it." I stuttered, "But I've been doing these for almost a year, and no matter what, this takes me hours to do! I can't even…" I kept rereading the document to see if there were any errors at all, but I couldn't find any. "Did you do all the math in your head?"

Her face beamed. "Yessir."

"Within the span of like five minutes?"

"Umm... yeah? Doesn't everyone process numbers that quickly?"

_I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not…_

"You were a math genius this whole time and never told me about it?"

"You never asked."

"Oh for the love of-" I slumped forward onto the desk in defeat. I felt like everything I've studied in Cradily was a waste. "Nevermind."

"What were you going to say?"

"Nothing, let's just go out to eat like you wanted."

"Wait, before we go, can I ask you something?"

I sighed. Even though I just had my caffeine fix, I felt so tired. "What?"

"Does it always take a while for you to do your accounting?"

Whether that was meant to be a jab or not, I couldn't tell. I tried my best hide how offended I was. "Not as much as today, I just had to make up yesterday's. But yeah, I have to set aside a few hours everyday to do them."

"Well, in that case, want me to do them for you?"

"... Come again?"

"I can do the paperwork for you."

"Err..." The confusion I had was painfully obvious in the way I looked at her. Who would willingly volunteer to do such mundane amounts of work everyday? "Wouldn't it be better if you just teach me how you do it?"

She rolled her eyes at me, "No offense, Milo, but that'd probably take _forever_."

"But..." I started scratching my head, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Think of it this way. You obviously don't like doing it, and I don't want to have to wait for you to do them until you're free, so why don't I just do it for you?"

"Well, if you put it that way…" I donned a thoughtful expression for a moment, "Then sure, if that's what you really want."

The smile that Mabel had was contagious, especially when she pulled me into a hug. "See? I knew you'd come around."

* * *

My restaurant of choice was none other than the Sunkern Café, which thankfully had another location here in Floridity, and likely all around the region. While I was certainly excited to go out for some food for a change, I was more interested on discussing the conditions of Mabel's employment, though she didn't really consider it a job.

"_You don't have to pay me Milo. I'm not really in it for the money. You know that, right?"_

"_Then how about an internship? You might be able to graduate sooner if you had one."_

"_... I can do that?"_

"_Sure you can… if they allow it_. _I've got some connections with the dean of Florid University, believe it or not. I could probably figure something out."_

"_Wow, Milo, I didn't know you had made such influential friends. Moving up in the world, huh?" _

"_It's not like that. I've never actually met him."_

I was intent on giving her some kind of salary anyway, whether she likes it or not. It'd be a crime to not compensate her for what she's doing in terms of common decency, and probably literally too. I may not have expressed it, but I was overjoyed when Mabel said she wanted to work for me. While I do think it's weird that my best friend is also going to be my first employee, I relished the idea of not having to step foot into my office ever again.

I was more than ready to turn in for the night once I had gotten back home. I slept with a clear consciousness. Mabel has been the happiest she's ever been in a while, and her jubilance is starting to rub off on me. Today and yesterday must be the marking of a new chapter in my life, as for once, I was actually feeling optimistic about what tomorrow had in store for me.

* * *

The next day started before the sun even rose. I awoke to some rude character drumming on my door, which turned out to be the Pokémon that I just had dinner with last night. She thumped on the head when I answered.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"That was a wake up call. So wake up! I wanna show you something!"

My expression changed to one that showed that I wasn't very amused. "Mabel, what in the world are you doing at this hour? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Do I look asleep to you?" She said impatiently, "What's the hold up?"

"It's like five o' clock in the morning, that's what! Why didn't you tell me last night that you were coming?"

"I forgot!" She grabbed my arm before I could react and started to drag me towards god knows where. "Now come with me!"

"W-Whoa! Hey, where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there!"

It wasn't long before we were at the hill that had a clear view of the horizon. Being here again immediately evoked memories of the last day she was here during her winter break, which has been implanted into my brain ever since. I forgot how breathtaking the view was. At the same time, I could feel myself getting skittish.

"Wow, you still remember this place?"

"Well, _duh_, of course I do. How could I forget?"

"So umm… is there a reason why you brought me here? Is this about me hiring you?"

"No."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"... Nostalgia, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"Just… be quiet for a moment Milo. Can't you see that I just want to watch the sunrise with you?"

"Oh, err… right. I can do that."

I still wasn't satisfied with her answer on why she wanted to drag me here so early in the morning, but I bit my lip to ensure I stayed silent. I guessed that once she had gotten what she wanted, I could get home sooner to catch up on some sleep. We watched the big ball of light slowly rise higher and higher, presenting a dazzling spectacle where the sky had a golden hue. My awe in watching the town square of Floridity getting illuminated by the sun was suddenly interrupted when Mabel started to snuggle up against me.

"It's almost like a dream, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"You know. Moving here, seeing you again, spending time with you. I'm just so happy." She sounded like she was about to cry. She must've sensed it too, as she quickly followed up with a question. "What about you? Isn't the sunrise so pretty?"

"Oh, yeah. It's cool… but uhh… we're not doing this everyday, are we? This wasn't part of the job application I had for you." I tried to joke.

She giggled, "That depends, would you like to?"

"Not if it means having to wake up this early everyday."

Mabel scoffed, "That's just what a sleepyhead would say." She rested her head on my shoulder. "It's fine though, just doing this one last time is all I ask from you."

Her proximity made my whole body tense up. I forced a chuckle to hide my growing anxiety, "Oh, t-that's a relief. I've been meaning to make things up with you, but not at this hour."

"Is that so?" She leaned in, "And what did you have in mind~?"

"Umm… y-you know… t-things." I stammered, "A-Anything, really."

"Anything~?" She repeated, "You know what I'd like then?"

"What?" I turned to look at her just in time to see that she had already taken the liberty to close the distance between our muzzles, stopping only until they touched. "Oh…"

_Aww man, I should've seen this coming a mile away._

She stared intensely at me when we parted. Anticipating that the next thing that would come out of my mouth would be a jumbled mess, which will most definitely be the case, she chose to silence me with another kiss, just for good measure. At that point, I was rendered absolutely speechless. All I could manage to do was just look at her dumbfoundedly.

Mabel seemed to be satisfied by how disorientated I was. With nothing else that needed to be said, she decided now to be a good time to make her leave.

"Don't be a stranger Milo. I'll see you around~." She hummed, then left me to my own accord.

I sat atop the hill for a while longer, trying to make sense of what just happened. After a short time, I determined that simply watching the clouds drift across the sky wasn't really doing much to help me put my thoughts together. A sudden yawn reminded me of what I was supposed to be doing, so I started heading back.

I didn't realize until I got home that I was rubbing my lips.

* * *

_Flynn,_

_I didn't think I'd hear from you so soon. You don't know how much of a relief it is to  
know that you're doing okay. Words can't describe how much I want to apologize for  
what I did, but you already said not to, so I won't. Not like I'm in a position to ask for  
forgiveness anyway. And yeah, Mabel _really _took it out on me when she found me.  
It made me feel pretty bad, but I am doing all I can to make amends, especially now  
that she's moved here. I made a promise to her that I'd be more open to her about  
my feelings, but I guess that applies to you too, given that I left you in the dark as well._

_It's nice of you to say how things are going on back in Cradle, but I don't see myself  
coming back there anytime soon. Not now, not ever. What you've said perfectly explains  
why I shouldn't come back. A cult following is not exactly how I'd describe what I had to deal  
with when I was there, but it is somewhere along the lines of that. It really just boiled down  
to too many Pokémon trying to talk to me at once, to the point where I couldn't take it  
anymore, which, now that I put it that way, really goes to show how pathetic I am. You'd  
probably see all the attention as an opportunity, but for someone like me, there's no way I  
could remain sane if I stayed there any longer. __Even if things are starting to calm down, I  
don't think I can bring myself to go back. I'd love to catch up with you someday, but just not there._

_As for how I'm doing, I'm doing okay, all things considered. I have everything I could have  
ever wanted. To everybody here, I'm nothing but the average citizen. I like the solitude and  
peace I have here in Floridity… at least, that's what I thought at first. Life here has been  
getting rather dull. I never really noticed it until Mabel was here for the first time. And now  
that she's continuing her last year here with me, I'd say things are looking up. I still am a  
bit ashamed that I'm always relying on you guys to keep me company. If you couldn't tell  
already, I haven't been able to make any friends by myself yet. It's been hard, so very hard.  
I've never had to do anything like this since you and Mabel were the ones that approached  
me first a couple years ago. Not that I'm blaming you, it's just now that I've realized that  
I never was able to build up the confidence to ask what comes next after conversing with  
somebody. I kinda wish I stayed in school. At least on campus I had an obligation to talk  
with my classmates. Sorry if this sounds sappy, but what I'm trying to say is that I really  
do appreciate our friendship._

_If you don't mind me asking, how are things going between you and Joy? You never really  
told me what happened after you ran off into the woods to go see her off, nor have you  
brought it up, so I assumed things were complicated, and now even more so now that she's  
here, and not with you. I was honestly expecting you to show up as well when I learned that Joy  
had transferred here too. I thought you'd jump at the chance to go wherever she went. If things  
are rough, I just want to let you know that I'm there to talk to if you need it. I'd really like  
to make things up to you when I can, so the least I could do is help you through your problems._

_Thanks again for sending me a letter, it really puts my mind at ease to get some closure.  
You don't have to tell me twice about Mabel. I know what I did. I know how she feels… though  
I don't know what you mean about "finding a brain", but I guess I'll figure it out later. Take  
your time if you do decide to visit me. I don't want to be a bother. Just try to resist the urge  
to punch me when I see you, even though I deserve it._

_P.S. - Do whatever you want with my old house, since it's not like I'm going to be seeing it  
anytime soon. If you haven't found it already, I keep the keys tucked away in a drawer in  
the bedroom... not that you lock your doors anyway._

_ \- Larry_

* * *

**Thanks for reading everybody! I hope you all don't mind all the dialogue I had in this chapter. :)**

**Don't forget to review if you'd like, and I hope to see you guys back here very soon!**


	19. Chapter 11 - Reunion

**Chapter 11 - Reunion**

_Milo,_

_Geez, now I know it's really you. It's been almost a year and you're still beating yourself  
up about the whole hero thing? You saved tons of lives, so why the fuck are you being so  
mopey about it? I won't lie to you man. You definitely could have done some things better  
back then. Faking your own death wasn't the only option, but that's all in the past now.  
There's nothing you can do to change it - no use getting upset about it. If you can't do it  
for yourself, then do it for me or Mabel or someone who can't stand you getting all  
depressed. Just accept it and move on. I mean c'mon, life seems great for you right now,  
so why look back? I heard from Mabel that you're running a successful business. Not bad  
for a dropout. _

_About your supposed difficulties with making friends, I'm surprised you haven't tried what  
you did in Cradle. Remember how you gave your neighbors gift baskets when you  
introduced yourself? Nothing wrong with giving it another go. It sure as hell got me to  
wanna be pals with you. The pubs aren't the only place to search you know. If your diehard  
obsession for plants hasn't burned out, try meeting other Pokémon who have the same  
passions. That should be common sense to everyone. If all else fails or you suddenly become  
public enemy number one, well, I don't know about you, but I've got this feeling in my gut  
that Mabel's going to be your answer for your loneliness, if you catch my drift.  
_

_Funny you mentioned Joy, because we haven't actually talked at all, ever since she went off  
to study abroad when we were sophomores. Believe me, I've tried, but even a big ol' man  
like me gets a little scared. Every time I try to approach her, it's like the conversation is  
already over before I even say anything. I decided to stay put when she and Mabel went off  
to Floridity, and it's not because I wasn't able to transfer. Can't tell you why exactly in a letter,  
so let's just say that I didn't want to leave, not just yet. _

_I'll try to make the trek to Floridity one day, but don't get your hopes up. It really is a long  
way from Cradle. I think I've got a pretty sweet gig going on for me right now, so visiting will  
only work for me when it's convenient._

_P.S. - Also, seriously? Larry? I knew you had some kind of fake name you used, but god damn  
is that still hilarious. You could teach me a few things about paranoia._

_\- Flynn_

* * *

It took quite a bit of time adjusting to having someone working alongside me, particularly when that employee happens to be a close friend. I didn't realize until her first few days working here that I had basically given Mabel a perfectly good excuse to see me everyday. I failed to mention when she should come in for work, so she took the liberty of coming in the morning, _every _morning. It was a pretty fatal oversight for someone who likes to wake up when it's almost noon, so I wasn't all that enthusiastic about having to revise my sleep schedule.

_I never should've given her the spare keys to my house..._

To add further insult to injury, Mabel has also been showing a lot more initiative than I ever could. She completes the work I assign to her in record time, before going to find other ways to make herself useful. I found her snooping around my office a few days ago, and by the time I realized what she was doing, she had already finished the papers that I had set aside for myself. I still refuse to let her do all the accounting since I'm still a bit guilty about having her do them all. I guess she was trying to prove me wrong. Just that work ethic alone would run me out of business if she decided to start up a duplicate enterprise.

I was groggy when she let herself into my oversized-stump residence today, unable to comprehend how she can be so animated during the early hours. She declared that she was self-promoting herself to being my superintendent, and with such an advancement came along even more reforms. She showed up her black-rimmed nerd glasses on. I assumed she must've been in a rush to get here this morning, but she said that it was now a part of her "_professional uniform"_. She struck a dramatic pose while I was wiping the sleep out of my eyes and asked for my opinion on how she looked. A dangerous question, and we both seemed to know it. I've lost track of how many times I've fallen for that trap. I squinted at her, trying to think of a clever way to dodge the inquiry. Unfortunately, I took too long.

"_Ooooo~_, why the stare, Milo? I didn't think you were _that_ much into girls with glasses!" She snickered.

"What? I thought I never said I was into them!"

"_Sure _you did." She clicked her tongue several times while waltzing into my kitchen area, "Whatever, anyway, the next thing we're changing is for you to stop acting like a zombie!" She said before promptly swiping my coffee pot, kicking open the back door that leads into my garden, and then pouring out its caffeinated contents onto the grass. "You won't be needing this anymore."

"H-Hey wait! I didn't even get to drink any of that yet!"

"You haven't? Great!" The fellow Leafeon anticipated my panicked approach, and once I was right behind her, she quickly turned around and produced a glass bottle from the satchel she was wearing. There was a cloudy yellow liquid inside it with a greenish tint. She held the container tightly and extended an arm towards me, forcing me to slant backwards a little. The pungent smell of Chesto berries filled my nostrils when she uncapped it. There was also a distinctive herbal scent that suggested that it was tea. "Ta-dah! My very own special brew! You won't be needing anymore of that dull brown stuff with this!" Mabel motioned for me to take a sip. "Go on, try it!"

The warmth of the bottle made my paws feel cozy, and an unexpected sweetness flooded my taste buds made my eyes widen a little when I drank it, instead of the typical dry flavor of Chesto. "Oh, it's not that bad actually."

Mabel beamed at my answer, and then playfully stuck her tongue out. "You think so? Is it good enough to replace that nasty coffee addiction of yours?"

_Is it really that bad?_

I nodded, "Is that what this is for? That's… really thoughtful of you. Thanks."

She assumed a sheepish, modest posture. "Yep! I'm glad you like it! I'll be sure to bring some in everyday."

I raised a brow. "Wouldn't it be easier if you just told me how to make it myself?"

"Sorry, but it's a secret!" She suddenly leaned towards me in an endearing way, "It's a family recipe, so if you really want to know~…" She trailed off, though it didn't sound like her voice was failing her.

My eyes continued its quizzical stare at her. "Oh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I won't pry."

She frowned for a brief moment, then readjusted her optics and smiled, "Okay then. Did you want anything else from me before I get to work?"

_You make it sound like it's going to take you hours…_

"Actually, yeah I do." I started scratching my cheeks, "You see, I umm… wanted to know if… are you going to be free this weekend?"

Mabel faked a gasp, "Milo, are you asking me what I think you're asking?"

"Well uhh... you've always been the one who decides what to do when we go out, so I thought it'd be nice if I thought of something for a change."

She took a step closer to me. "Which is?"

"Would you like to go camping with me?"

* * *

Mabel likes to spend the first half of her day loafing around at my house before going on to do her own thing, unless we have plans together. I don't bother trying to know the outgoing things she probably does because it'll only make me jealous and I'll feel worse about myself. I wouldn't be surprised if she has already befriended the entire town. I get only marginally at ease when she's with me in public, but even then, it's only because she dominates the conversations.

Seeing groups of Pokémon doing things together when I walk around town has built up a personal longing for that kind of stuff. Even when they're just sitting around and doing absolutely nothing, it still manages to look fun. I had so many ideas concocting in my head about what I could do with a buddy. The thing I've wanted to do the most is go on a camping trip with them. Doing anything outside has always appealed to me since it's a great mode of relaxation, but I've always been going solo. Sharing the experience with someone else would be a nice change of pace. I'd know since Mabel has gone on hikes with me a few times, and it was infinitely better than when I was doing them alone. If a short stroll with somebody was enjoyable, I can only imagine how awesome it'll be to go on a weekend excursion with them. Fortunately, I don't have to.

Mabel readily agreed to my offer. She seemed to be as excited as I was to go, given that she completed the paperwork I assigned to her in a flash, which is just barely an exaggeration. The tea she makes certainly does have its energizing properties, but I doubt it can make someone that hyper. One would think that a reckless burst of energy like that would hamper her writing accuracy, but it didn't.

_Does she even think when she does math?_

Apparently Mabel's classes were scheduled to start after the weekend, so my timing couldn't have been any better. She also asked if I wanted to come with her to her dorm, which I declined just as quickly as she brought it up. She hasn't denied that other Pokémon from Cradle have also transferred here, so I don't feel safe walking around the campus. It's still way too soon to be recognized, or better yet, never.

"_Oh, that's a shame. Joy told me she wanted to see you."_

"_Wait, Joy? Why would she want to talk to me?"_

"_Probably because she wanted to tell you something, duh."_

* * *

The weekend came at last. I had one of those rare mornings where I wasn't drowsy after waking up. Mabel came once I was done packing for our trip, where she again donned her glasses. I guess she's not shy about wearing them anymore. I packed gear for both of us into two small rucksacks, enough to last the whole day and a part of tomorrow, so I told her not to bring anything. All my other preparations were already taken care of, so we set off almost the moment she stepped through my door.

We walked for hours in the direction away from my usual grounds. I thought that a new wilderness setting would pair well with the fact I had a partner with me, just to make it even more memorable. The spot in the woods I chose for us purposely had relatively scarce resources for us to forage. Mabel and I are Leafeons - the ultimate survivalists duo - so we should be well suited for handling such a hardy area. Even if worse comes to worse, I made sure we had enough emergency rations to sustain us. We began setting up a basic encampment, and started to prepare our bedding after we made a crude stone encirclement for our campfire. Mabel was digging through the pack I gave her in a panic.

"You didn't bring any sleeping bags!?"

"Umm… no? Just use dry grass to make yourself a place to sleep instead."

"Eww." She groaned, "Don't you think that's a little gross?"

"Is it really that bad? I thought you were used to the outdoors."

She gave me a look of disapproval, crossing her arms. "Why? Is it because I'm a grass-type like you?"

The remark made me flare up in embarrassment. I cursed my poor word choice. "W-What? N-No! I didn't mean it like that!"

"It's fine." She sighed, "Sorry, but this is actually my first time camping. I thought there'd be tents, bedrolls, stuff like that."

"Well, you're not completely wrong about them." I gave her a look of disbelief. "So you really haven't done anything like this? Not even once?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Never."

A sheltered Leafeon? That's like the equivalent of an Umbreon that's afraid of the dark. Maybe choosing a spot as barren as this wasn't such a good idea. "Okay, well, don't worry about it. It shouldn't be too hard to teach you the basics."

"Aww, how sweet of you." Mabel giggled, "Should I start calling you _master_ too?"

"Please… don't."

Turns out having only one expert in the field instead of two wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, since there weren't a whole lot of chores we had to take care of. Admittedly, I actually was under the impression that we were going to test eachother's camping skills, but now I was more determined to show Mabel how enjoyable camping could be. I made sure to go through the trivial things quickly so we could get on to the much more engaging parts faster. We gathered a bunch of sticks and branches and a small amount of berries from our surroundings before spending most of the time exploring. We came across a freshwater lake that we swam in for a while, as well as an edge of the forest that opened into a beautiful flower meadow. Mabel seemed especially awe-inspired by the second discovery. She practically demanded that we have our lunch there.

For me personally, I found passing down knowledge to someone else to be a pretty novel thing, and I can't say I don't like it. I showed her some nifty outdoorsman tricks that she probably won't ever need to know, like how to make the most efficient use of our firewood or how to avoid clutter at our campsite. My explanations tend to be a bit long-winded, perhaps because I was getting excited or the tranquility of the forest was putting me at ease, though either way, Mabel surprisingly didn't seem to mind. She'd stare at me like she was in a trance, making me suspect that she was never paying attention.

"_And that's how you can tell which one of these are poisonous. Did you get that Mabel?... Mabel? Are you listening?"_

"_...Wha-? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I am."_

"_But you haven't even looked at these berries the entire time."_

"_Okay fine, I wasn't. It's just... you always seem so passionate talking about these things."_

"_I mean, it's kind of my job to know."_

When the sun began to set, we huddled next to our campfire and roasted some berries on sticks over it for supper. Mabel was in total glee, meaning this whole camping trip must be a success. It's a shame we'll have to go back home the next day.

"Today has been amazing. Who would've thought the outdoors could be so awesome?"

I couldn't help but mimic her content. "See? Now you can see why I'm always napping around the forest."

"I wouldn't go that far." She laughed, "But really, I don't think I could've had this much fun if I were to do this myself, so, thanks for inviting me."

Blood rose to my cheeks, "Oh, it's n-nothing. My reasons were selfish. Sorry if this was a waste of your time."

She landed a swift karate-chop onto my forehead for that response. "Since when did I say I hated this?" She huffed, "Stop apologizing for things that aren't even true."

"Sor- I mean, yeah, okay."

She gazed at me and chuckled, "Now that we've got that out of the way. Don't you think I should repay you for this _extravagant_ outing?"

I waved both my forepaws in front of me in a dismissive manner. "It's fine, you don't owe me anything."

"I don't think you understand, Milo. I _do _have to repay you." Her grin turned into a not-so-subtle one.

"Really, you don't have to-" I bit my tongue when I saw her make her approach. "H-Hey, wait-" Then she wrapped her arms around my paralyzed form, and her head came to rest on one of my shoulders. A hug? I can't believe I mistook it for something else. Our last encounter like this must have really shaken me, though the embrace still came with its own dose of fuzziness. "Oh…"

"How's that?" Mabel said when she broke away, "There's plenty more where that came from."

"N-No need, that was good enough, t-thanks." I shook my head feverishly, "Let's just call it in for the night."

"Sounds like you were expecting more than a hug~." She hummed with her eyes becoming slits, "We are all alone out here…"

"I wasn't." I yawned, "C'mon, we should get some sleep." I went over to the nest I made for myself and got myself comfortable.

The female Leafeon shot me an odd glance before mirroring my actions on the other side of the campfire, "Fiiiine." She moaned with displeasure, "Good night, Milo."

* * *

Mabel seemed to have retained a bit of her grumpiness by the next morning. She was looking at the ground constantly, which created an unnerving atmosphere between us as we packed up our stuff and got ready to make the trek back to Floridity. I tried to replay what happened last night while we walked, hoping to find a peaceful solution that I had missed. It'd be awful for us to have such an exciting getaway, only to leave us with a foul taste in our mouths.

"Mabel, did I do something wrong?" I said tentatively.

The question seemed to have knocked her back into reality. She turned to me with a hastily constructed smile. "Of course not. We just had an awesome time together!"

"But you looked a little down just now. And last night too. Were you still hungry or something?"

"Hungry?" She repeated loudly, her despondency now a thing of the past. Her face quivered before she burst into a laughing fit, even though I wasn't intending to be humorous. She rolled around on the grass and clutched her stomach while she continued to roar. Just watching her made me flustered. "Is that what you thought I was feeling? Hungry?" She stood back up and wiped away stray tears that formed, still giggling throughout. "Oh Milo, you're so precious."

"Umm… does that mean you're not angry?"

She jokingly punched my shoulder. "Do I look like I'm mad? I haven't had a laugh like that in months, maybe years!" I couldn't deny how her smile looked especially radiant. My eyes followed her as she started to resume the walk towards Floridity. She turned to face me the moment I started to trail after her. "Oh, and to answer your question. If we're speaking in very, _very_, broad terms, then yes. I guess you could say I was hungry. "

* * *

We parted ways once we got back, and I made my way home with a satisfied grin. I haven't had a day trip as fun as that in a long time. I can't wait until the next time Mabel and I go on another one. Until then, it's back to the mundane lifestyle for me. I opened my mailbox outside my front door to check the letters I had received while I was gone. I had a decent amount of berry orders from my usual customers, despite it being the weekend.

I sifted through the mail whilst entering my house to get a rough idea of how much work I had ahead of me. I took pleasure in knowing that some of the labor was going to be alleviated by my trusted employee. Admittedly, she does it so fast that it can hardly be considered _labor_, but I'm still grateful either way. Maybe I really should let her do all of the number crunching.

There was one request that stuck out before I even read it, mostly because it was not encased in an envelope, unlike all the other letters. It was simply a folded piece of lined paper. Seems a little unofficial to send such a naked message, but I decided to give the sender the benefit of the doubt. Unfolding the note revealed a single line of messily written text: "_Hello, Mr. Hero. We still haven't had our talk yet. Meet here tonight." _There was also a crudely drawn map of Floridity, with an 'x' drawn in at a secluded outskirt.

I didn't have to read the signature at the bottom of the page to know who it was from. An instantaneous feeling of dread began to course through me. It siphoned every bit of strength until I no longer had the muscle to even hold the paper. It cruelly left just enough energy for me to shake uncontrollably.

_No. No no no no no no. This can't be happening! Why? Why does this have to happen now!?_

This has got to be a sick joke on the world. Just when life starts to get peachy again, where only one thing could possibly ruin it, the "thing" comes to ruin it! How could this one Pokémon have it out for me so much that they've managed to track me down to this extent? Or even worse, what if there's more than one? What have I done to make them hate me so much?

My mind was being flooded with so many emotions and memories that it hurt. I squeezed my head like I was trying to keep it from imploding. I growled at the throbbing pain, and smashed my temple against the walls of my bedroom in an attempt to numb it, which of course escalated it into excruciating levels. That accursed note had only three sentences, and it was more than enough to make the world crumble around me. I've been stricken with terror in one fell swoop.

I cursed myself for immediately thinking about running away. I won't succumb to my cowardice again. Not like there's a point in doing so anyway, as this Pokémon has already demonstrated the lengths they're willing to go to make me feel their wrath. Prolonging our encounter would only make them angrier. I just can't win. "_Checkmate," _is what they're probably thinking right now.

I didn't step outside and get anything done that day. I can't go out into my own garden now that this stalker has announced their presence and declared their undying hatred towards me. No one maintains a grudge for this long and drags themselves across a distance as far as from Cradle to Floridity just to "talk" with someone. They've found me, and they're going to make sure I know how much of a vendetta they have against me. At least if I stay home, I can force them to come to me.

One sleepless night had passed, with hundreds of more to go, and I already was a wreck. I made the mistake of believing that my attacker was going to strike as soon as possible, and I wasn't going to let them ambush me during my slumber, but now I'm exhausted. I'm making the situation worse, and now my health is starting to suffer, and my job too if I keep this up. I'm painfully aware of how detrimental it is for me to stand idle, but I just couldn't do anything about. It's like I'm being turned against myself, because all I've been doing is loathing how weak and pathetic I am.

Another day of no response meant another ominous sheet of lined paper. The lettering was largely the same as the last one. The author seemed to be getting impatient already though, as evidenced by their insistence that they just want to have a word with me. Yeah right. I still haven't forgotten that they tried to throw sharpened sticks at my throat in Cradle. The only discussion we'll have is how they're going to put me six feet under.

Mabel came in during the late afternoon like she said she would yesterday, since her university classes now occupy a portion of her schedule. It reminded me to add her to my ever-growing list of worries. I can't have her tangled up in a problem as dangerous as this. I stopped her before she could enter my abode and told her that she doesn't need to work today.

"Work?" She scoffed, "You think I come here to work?" She shoved me aside and took a casual stride into my living room.

I tried to nudge her back outside, but she wouldn't budge. "Mabel, y-you don't understand. You have to leave."

She pushed me away, "Understand what? Don't you think you're acting a little strange?"

"Ermm… no?"

Unfortunately that answer didn't satisfy her. She looked at the messy pile of letters on the coffee table in the middle of the room and readjusted her glasses as if it were helping her eyes adapt to the indoor light levels faster. "Holy Miltank! Did you not get anything done yesterday?" She placed her tea mug on the table and skimmed through a handful of orders. "Is this what you were trying to hide from me?"

"I can take care of it myself, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do! I thought you'd know by now that I can get this done in no time flat! What's gotten into you?"

I summoned a voice that was as commanding as a terrified Pokémon can get, "I'm fine, alright? I need some time alone, so just go!"

"No!" She shouted with a startling intonation, "I've never seen you so happy for the last two days, and now I've never seen you so frustrated. Something's up, and you're not telling me what it is!" She grabbed my paw and held onto it tightly.

"Let me go!" I shook the bounded arm, but her grip was so strong that I was already feeling a loss of blood circulation. "I'm just trying to help you! It's not safe for you to be here!"

"Safe from what?"

I grunted. I said too much. "Nevermind." I averted her gaze and bit my lip to stay silent.

Mabel rattled my arm like a bell, "C'mon! You have to tell me! We can solve this together!" The way she pleaded made it hard to keep control of myself. She saw me grit my teeth and shook my arm violently. "Milo please! You told me you'd say something if you were in trouble! You promised!"

That did it. An overwhelming pang of guilt washed over me, and my limbs gained a gelatine-like stiffness. My legs wobbled before I suddenly collapsed onto her and the tears that I was saving for tonight came out early. "I'm sorry, Mabel." I croaked in between sobs, burying my face into her chest. "I can't take it anymore. I'm so scared."

She welcomed the unsolicited hug after recovering from the initial shock and gently stroked my back. The only thing I could hear was her murmuring into my splayed ears. "It's okay." She shushed me whenever I tried to say anything.

* * *

I lost track of time, but when I finally gathered the will to break away from her tender embrace, the sky was dusk and quickly becoming black. I sat on my haunches in front of Mabel and took a deep breath.

"Someone wants to kill me."

"What?!" Her expression turned from sympathetic to astonished. "Why would anyone want to do that?" I showed her the two notes that had pushed me into isolation, and her surprise seemed to have lessened. "Are you sure about that? It says that they just want to talk to you."

"You're not getting it." I sighed, "They're trying to lure me out, and they won't stop until I'm dead." I told her as much as I could remember about all the scare tactics that they've committed back at Cradle. "It's… it's why I ran away and moved to Floridity."

The Leafeon with a slightly drenched torso gave me a look of disbelief, "It's been going on for that long? Oh you poor thing, I never knew..." She said gingerly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to." My eyes repeatedly shifted between the floor and Mabel, "And now they're back, so please, don't tell anyone. They'll come after you too if they know you're involved."

"Do you even know what you're saying?" She stomped her paw, "I can't just sit idly by and let you get hurt!"

"Please, I'm the one they want. This is my responsibility."

"And now it's mine too!" She said with a stomp, "Besides, why have you been cooped up in here, instead of doing literally anything to make the situation better?" I was taken aback by her sudden sternness. Her face immediately turned apologetic, "Sorry! I didn't mean to say it like that!

"N-No, you're right." I shook my head. Those words were like a slap to the face. It made me want to cry again, which only supports why she was totally, absolutely, one-hundred percent right. "It's because I'm a coward, Mabel. I'm just a pathetic little crybaby who can't even leave his own house anymore." I started trembling. Dammit, am I really about to break down again?

"You're wrong." She said firmly, then she grabbed my shoulders to force eye-contact. I gaped at her sudden boldness. "You're the exact opposite. You're stronger than anyone I know. You took care of me whenever I was sad, and you risked your life to save me when I was surrounded by those thugs at Cradle!" I tried to retort, but she wouldn't let me. "Don't you dare say you don't have a clue what I'm talking about!"

"Mabel, I-"

"Shut up! Just shut up! You're not weak!" Tears were streaming down her red cheeks. "I love you! I love you so much it hurts! I love you because you're so brave and kind and amazing!" Her voice quivered as she began to settle down. "So stop saying you're not strong. I hate it when you keep bringing yourself down. I know that it isn't true."

The fluster I had reached a new high. I stared at her wide-eyed for a brief moment before dropping my head, ears hanging low. "You shouldn't love me." I muttered, "I'm not like that anymore."

"But you _are _still like that." She replied tenderly, placing a paw under my chin and lifting it back up. "It doesn't matter how many times you try to deny it, you still did all those things." Her eyes still seemed to sparkle even though they were a bit puffy. "And it is far too late for me to stop loving you~." She placed a paw on my mouth when I tried to speak, "Don't even start, Milo, there's no use trying to tell me otherwise. "

"I wasn't going to say anything like that." I curled my lips, "I know that now. I'll… try to be more confident from now on, so… thank you."

She returned the sincere smile I gave her. "That's all I could ever ask from you."

The long ensuing silence told me it was time to move onto another subject. I couldn't help but feel incredibly warm after hearing Mabel speak from the heart. It was the same sensation that I felt from her previous proclamations. I knew, deep down, that there was only one thing left to do: I had to do something before the feeling went away; I had to act _now_. I picked up one of the scrawled paper notes and started for the door. "I think I'll start by finding whoever this mysterious Pokémon is."

"Whoa, wait, already?" Mabel suddenly pulled me back, "But you just said they'll kill you! Shouldn't we make up a plan about this?"

"This is the plan. I… honestly don't know what'll happen, but this is the only way to stop them from harassing me."

I released myself from her grasp and returned to my original pathway, only to be grabbed again. "Stop! You're confusing yourself with wishful thinking!"

I countered with an unamused look. "C'mon Mabel, think about it. They'll just play the waiting game until I agree to their terms. Staying here or anything that's not what they want me to do will just make things worse. I have to end this now."

She shook her head feverishly. "Milo please! They're going to hurt you! We can get through this somehow if we make them wait long enough!"

"But I can't keep living like this. You know that." I glared at her with as much determination as I could muster. "I have to do this."

We shared an intense stare before she finally let go of her grip on me. "F-Fine, but you better come back here! If I see even a single scratch on you, I swear I'll make you regret it!"

"Thanks Mabel." I said assuredly, "I'll be right back. I promise."

* * *

Everything seemed so clear to me as I walked towards my destination in the nightly air. The wind was chillier and I swear I could make things out in the darkness that I couldn't before. Even though I haven't slept in the last twenty-four hours either, I felt alive. I walked through the town plaza and observed the night life. Few Pokémon were out minding their own business, and those that were still outside were on their way home or to the nearest tavern. They seemed like they didn't have a care in the world.

Reaching the northern edge of town and into the woodlands beyond was when my newfound courage began to wane and I started to be plagued by the uncertainties of my decision. I was alone, and I was heading to meet the very same scoundrel that has robbed me of a happy life at Cradle Town. Soon, I'll finally find out why they're so dedicated towards hunting me down. They probably still think I'm some kind of highly dexterous _ninja _and want me to prove my mettle. I'll be doomed if they want to fight. I'm just a civilian like everybody else, not some rugged mystery dungeon explorer. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I walked. It's like I'm on a death march.

The meeting place was a tiny, peaceful-looking grotto, a small circular opening in the canopy allowed the moonlight to illuminate the area slightly. This is relatively far from civilization, and walking into the clearing would mean I'm exposed in all directions - a perfect ambush location. I frantically scanned for any sign of activity, hoping that my experiences as an outdoorsman would give me some sort of advantage, but found none. They're either not here yet, or really good at concealing themselves.

_Maybe I did piss off actual ninjas._

Hiding in the underbrush was getting me nowhere. My anxiety was rising the longer I was here. I just wanted to get this over with and tell Mabel I'm safe, and that it was just a harmless prank the entire time. Nah, that's obviously not going to happen. By now I was already feeling so tense that I could hear my own heartbeat. I had to make the first move. This is not the time to be second guessing myself. I exhaled deeply and, against all better judgement, stepped out onto the expanse like a willing prey. I listened for any change in the environment around me as I did so. Nothing. I took another step and listened. Nothing. I took two more steps and listened. Nothing. Three more. A distant rustle in the bushes. My head spun around to meet the source of the noise. An Espeon was walking into the clearing with movements that looked anything but cautious. False alarm.

"Joy? What are you doing here?" I asked with a raised brow, though I felt deeply relieved to see a friendly face.

The pink eeveelution was humming an inaudible tune to herself with her eyes closed, and judging by her almost solemn tone, it sounded like a creepy nursery rhyme. She stopped her stroll and opened her eyes once she heard me and gave me a curious look, even slightly canting her head to one side. _Oh hey Milo, what's up?_

"'What's up'?" I said dumbfoundedly, "It's nighttime in the middle of nowhere! What do you mean 'what's up'?" Honestly, I was more confused by why she wasn't subjecting me to her famous scowl.

Her inquisitive stare remained unchanged as she found a comfortable spot to sit on the grass. Her forked tail swung around nonchalantly. _Then what are you doing here?.. And talk to me through your mind, dummy. I thought you knew this already._

I rolled my eyes, _I'm here to meet someone, for… professional business dealings. What about you?_

Joy smirked, _Oh really? I'm also here to meet someone. This must be a pretty popular meeting place then._

I nodded, still giving her a look of skepticism, _Oh cool. But hey uhh, listen, I think you should probably clear out of here for a while. The Pokémon I'm meeting is a bit obnoxious, and I don't want you getting hurt on my behalf._

_Oh, isn't that thoughtful of you. I would've done as you asked because you said it so nicely, but now you've made me curious. What makes you say that this Pokémon is so belligerent? _She laid prone on her stomach and propped her head up with her forepaws, still offering her slightly unsettling grin as she patiently waited for my answer.

I looked around in case my stalker was eavesdropping on us. Guess it was pretty smart on Joy's part for us to talk telepathically. _They've been a bit of a thorn on my side, let's just say. He or she has been sending me threatening letters, demanding that we discuss our transaction, so I get fed up and finally agreed._

Joy's grin grew wider, _I've been sending letters to the Pokémon I'm supposed to meet too! Isn't that a coincidence?_

By now I was totally engrossed in the conversation due to our common ground. I couldn't resist confiding in someone I can relate to. _Tell me about it. I thought I finally shook them off my case for a long while, until I got two letters from them today and yesterday. _

The Espeon's tail was swinging around even faster now. _Oh, wow, that's so weird! I just so happened to have sent two letters to them today and yesterday as well!_

I froze. No, it can't be. _Yeah… that is really weird. _Suddenly the casual air I was feeling was replaced with a gut-wrenching tension, it made me start sweating beads. _Umm, if you don't mind me asking. What did you say in those letters that you sent?_

Joy smiled her friendly smile. _I asked to meet them here, of course. I thought that was obvious._

The clump of saliva I just gulped seemed to slide down my throat even slower than usual. _And… and… what did you write when… when you signed your letters?_

She stood up so suddenly that it made me jump a little bit, her smug grin was not helping. "Beta Leaf."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you're all enjoying it!**

**Please review if you'd like! I'd love to know how I'm doing!**

**Stay safe out there!**


	20. Special Chapter 2 - Joy

**Special Chapter 2 - Joy**

Joy the Espeon is many things. The magnitude of her intelligence is comparable only to her beauty. Her upbringing made sure that she possessed these qualities. As the daughter of two wealthy parents, it only made sense that she should have the aptitude to carry on their legacy. Her family made its fortune selling soap and other hygiene products. It's not the most exciting story to tell about how they made their wealth, but it's actually not too unusual to hear about enterprises gaining success through the sale of mundane items. Joy had little interest in the career of service and business, but neither did she have interest in anything else, so she couldn't necessarily object to the path chosen for her.

Long before her enrollment in Cradily, Joy was mostly concerned with what most females in their adolescent age would be thinking about. Unlike the boys, who were enthralled with the idea of forming their own mystery dungeon exploration and/or rescue team, the girls were more preoccupied with what it was like to be in love. The topic of romantic relationships became the juiciest bit of gossip that filled the mouths of her fellow female students. The slightest rumor of a boy and a girl even talking to eachother would spread like wildfire.

While she excelled in her classes, Joy found her schooling to be tedious and unfulfilling, so she couldn't help but become interested in all the commotion. Fortunately, she found that she too had begun to be acknowledged by her male peers. Puberty had hit her early and with a surprising force. She moved from being the nerdy brainiac of her school to being a genius that also happened to be quite the looker. The day she became an Espeon days further amplified her features, and only did more to support her title. The evolutionary line of Eevee also had a peculiar charm about them that was loved by many, and the natural elegance that psychic-types seemed to carry both acted as benefactors to her desirability. Joy inevitably caved into her boredom, and decided to take the chance when she was asked out by a bold classmate. She was shy at the idea of making a move, but the constant preaching of how fulfilling it was to be loved was still present in teenage gossip, so she tried to keep an open mind.

She was hesitant at first to warm up to her new boyfriend, whom she accepted not only because he was attractive, but also because he didn't seem entirely motivated by lust. She also felt pressured on how her parents might react to her new endeavors, but when it turned out that they didn't care what she did as long as it didn't interfere with her academic performance, she pursued her relationship with renewed determination. After a few months, she had given away her first kiss to her lover, and learned that all those rosy rumors were not as exaggerated as she believed. Maybe, just maybe, love actually was as great as it sounded.

Joy didn't know the incredible fortune she had to have found her soulmate on her first try. The chances of something like that happening were slim to none. She had heard that breakups were a risk, as well was being quite common, especially with first dates, but she dismissed it. That was an impossibility, not with her. He would never do that, because why would he? He's too sweet to even think about such a thing.

When he told her that he didn't love her, she didn't believe it. When he told her that he loved someone else, and was just using her for status, she didn't believe it. When the supposed girl in question appeared and embraced him right in front of Joy, she believed it. It was like a part of her had cracked. After locking herself in her room for days on end, she was still in shambles. Eventually she gathered up the resolve to trudge along with the rest of her miserable life, relying on the philosophy that time would heal her wounds. She cursed herself for being so gullible, and vowed never again to go through such betrayal.

* * *

As the year flew by, her hypothesis was bearing fruit. She was beginning to feel better, maybe a little bit of bitterness still resided within her, but she decided to not let it cloud her judgement. She tried to pay less attention to the drama that's always associated with teenagers. What helped was that recent gossip in her grade appeared to have shifted away from who's dating who, and more towards the new girl that had just moved into her town. According to the teachers introducing her, her name is Maple, but to everyone who has spoken to her, her name is Mabel. One thing was for certain though, she was a Leafeon who always seemed to be smiling.

The latter name turned out to be the correct out of the two when Joy was suddenly face-to-face with her. The grass eeveelution explained that she just wanted to get acquainted with all her fellow freshmen, and Joy happened to be next in line. They quickly got along under the common ground that they've both had rough times with the opposite sex, but what came as a surprise to her was that Mabel already had several accounts with them. Joy couldn't fathom how she could seem so calm about all her awful experiences, and even more so when she learned that Mabel's previous attempt had soured just a week prior. There was not even the slightest hint of a frown on her face. In fact, she was smiling.

"_Of course I get sad after them! I'm not some kind of sociopath!"_

"_But you just broke up with some guy because you had to move here. How does it not bother you?"_

"_It wasn't because we couldn't see eachother anymore, if that's what you're wondering. He was just being… disrespectful, so I don't feel too bad about it."_

"_Okay, but what about your other ones? You're not bummed about those?"_

"_Well, duh, yeah I was pretty bummed, but I don't let it get to me. There's definitely someone out there. The longer I spend being bummed, the more time I waste trying to find the one who's right for me, you know?"_

Joy was mystified, though she wasn't entirely convinced by her explanation. She had spent months crying over her first love, and she still wasn't completely over it, so how does Mabel take it so well? Joy couldn't help but stare at her with wide eyes. There had to be more to this girl. She came to the conclusion that there must be a fundamental reason why the Leafeon could rebound so quickly. She wasn't going to pry it out of her, but it wouldn't hurt to know how she could always be smiling.

Over the course of her freshman year, and then the following year, Joy tried to deduce an answer for herself. Within this period, Mabel had been through a decent amount of affairs with some of her fellow students, each lasting for a considerable length. They were definitely long enough to have a profound effect on her after they've ended on bitter notes. It came as no surprise that Mabel had secured herself so many dates. She was popular, gorgeous, and smart in her own right. They actually both acknowledged eachother's talents and had friendly rivalries in their academics, particularly in mathematics. It was not the best score that they competed for, since obtaining a perfect score was a given for them, but it was who could finish the fastest. What shocked Joy was that Mabel remained largely unaffected by her romantic foul-ups. Instead, she was smiling.

Joy did more than just observe Mabel from afar, she also made an effort to ask her herself, though her simple and off-topic answers in which she just "_keeps on keeping on" _still leaves her unsatisfied. Joy's frequent inquiries, alongside many other silly and humorous interactions, mostly on the fault of Mabel, had also made them inadvertently close, and since she had no else whom she could really call a friend, she held Mabel in very high regard. This resulted in matters becoming more personal than Joy originally anticipated, as she became genuinely concerned that Mabel might be in pain, even if she was always smiling.

Mid-way through Joy's third year was when her suspicions reached an all-time high. Mabel had just suffered a crushing conclusion to her longest relationship yet, which lasted a whole summer break, semester, and then some. It was so drama-inducing that it was the talk of the school's gossip for a day. Mabel was convinced that he was the _one_, that is, until she caught him getting more frisky with someone else than he does with her. It was such a disaster that even Joy was disturbed when she heard about it. And yet, even after such a moral-breaking event, Mabel still behaved how she always does - energetic, and of course, smiling.

Joy had enough of remaining unconvinced. If she had been in Mabel's place, she would have been hysterical with grief. There was absolutely no way Mabel could walk that off without feeling the least bit self-conscious. Joy decided to be more pressing than she typically was, in other words, she came to Mabel's home unannounced afterschool. Mabel's grandmother, whom she lives with, had let Joy into their den and pleaded she go see her granddaughter. Joy did not need to be told twice, as that was what she was planning to do anyways. Before Joy came into Mabel's room, she had already found her answer, or rather, _heard _her answer. She was crying.

Mabel was not invincible. Finding her in such a pitiful state did nothing but make Joy's admiration for her grow. Before seeing her like this, she was increasingly under the notion that Mabel, for lack of better words, had no soul. Joy was hugely affected by her first and only relationship. Being cheated on is the worst, and you feel like the worst, was what Joy had determined. It was why she was so bewildered by Mabel's ability to brush off breakups that would leave any girl shattered. She felt alienated and jealous of Mabel's tenacity, but finally seeing her in such a sorry state made her feel guilty by how relieved she was. Mabel, like everybody else, had emotions that could be shaken.

Contrary to what Joy probably should have done, she yelled at Mabel, who was soaking a pillow with her sobbing. She screamed at her for not telling her how she truly felt. It turned out to be the right way to approach the situation, as Mabel had begun making an effort to hold back her tears so she could apologize. The Leafeon tried to put on a smile, but the accumulating tears and mucus welling up in her throat made her cough. Again, Joy shouted, and again, Mabel gagged in her futile attempts to stop her weeping. The Espeon changed her tactics by tossing her a box of tissues lying next to the bed, which the tan eeveelution blew through within the span of a few minutes. Now there were soggy tissues everywhere.

Joy settled with stroking Mabel's back until she was calm enough to produce interpretable words. She asked her why she seemed to be so hell-bent on finding a mate.

"_What's the point if you're just going to get hurt in the end?"_

Mabel, after she was done using her blanket as a tissue substitute, gave the Espeon a look of displeasure, like she had just asked the dumbest thing of all time. Joy became squeamish under her judging eyes. She tried to hide it by repeating her question, adding that she wanted a serious answer.

The sniffling Leafeon was silent for a brief moment before shrugging her shoulders. She had been caught in the act, so there was no reason to hide it anymore.

* * *

Mabel has an odd set of parents. It was to a degree that "questionable" would be a better way to describe them. They are madly in love with eachother, so much so that they are almost always messing around when they are together. While it may be considered healthy that their interests in one another haven't died out, it does come with its own set of problems. They were incredibly young when Mabel was conceived, which explained the oddity in that her grandmother did not look as old as what her role in the family might suggest. Joy had actually mistaken her for Mabel's mother when they first met. Moreover, Mabel has no siblings, which led her to believe that her birth was not planned, but likely the accidental byproduct of one of her parents' whims.

Mabel's parents were so caught up on being affectionate towards eachother that they failed to show any towards their only offspring. They firmly believed that they were not prepared to care for a child at their age, so they left their mistake in the responsibility of someone who was more suited for the job, Mabel's mother's mother, much to her disappointment. Mabel's grandmother demanded that her parents accept the consequences of their actions and care for her themselves, and would only agree to supervise how they were faring. And so, Mabel spent her childhood with Pokémon that only gave her food when she asked and a room in their home to sleep in. She was like an awkward roommate.

Mabel's favorite days were the weekends, since those were the days when her grandmother would come visit and end up being the one to raise her. In all other parts of the week, she was alone and stuck with having to listen to her parents playing in the room next to hers. The only times she ever hears her parent's speak are just them flirting with eachother. The slightest implication of something perverse would cause them both to run towards their bedroom. Because they haven't done anything, it also means they haven't done anything that would be considered bad either, so by that logic, Mabel had no solid argument to hate her parents. She settled for the reason in which she could not remember a single time where the three of them did something together as a family.

It took a while for Mabel's grandmother to be convinced that it was up to her to raise her granddaughter, so she allowed Mabel to move into her home when she was reaching her teenage years. She had grown fond of her little munchkin. Despite all odds, Mabel was gifted with a bright mind and a sociable personality, and her grandmother wanted to ensure she stayed that way. It was also because Mabel was at the stage where romance would begin to revolve around her life, and she would've been damned if her granddaughter had to go through those years while living with the worst possible role models to look up to.

By then it was far too late to properly educate Mabel on the _Pidoves and the Combees_, as she had been practically exposed to it everyday. Her grandmother guessed she must've actively avoided it out of fear that she would become just as irresponsible as her parents, but she wasn't. Mabel instead displayed a genuine curiosity. It couldn't be helped that she picked up on a few of her parents' habits, one of them being that she doesn't really shy away from the subject. She had grown up listening to the high praises of it. It raised the golden question: what made love so great? Is it really the pinnacle of one's happiness? Is it really enough to make you abandon your own daughter?

Mabel wanted to experience it firsthand. Her grandmother had given her all the parental affection she could ever need, but that was beside the point. What she craved was true, intimate, romantic feelings for someone who wanted her to be just as happy as she made them. She wanted to prove that even under the influence of its delightful spell, she could still retain the common sense to extend that love towards her own children.

She was determined to build upon what her parents could not, and she was certainly putting in the legwork in doing so. She tried hard to make herself appeal as much to the opposite gender as she possibly could. Her curvy shape, bubbly speech, and even her name were all meant to catch the attention of a potential candidate to spend the rest of her life with. "Maple" was the plain name given to her by her father when she was born during the autumn season, which implied a bare minimum thought process. While it certainly carried its own set of likable characteristics, it simply did not meet her standards. "Mabel" is a much better alteration. In her opinion, it made her femininity more obvious and sounded much more endearing. The coincidence in that it was reminiscent of her true name also served as a constant reminder of her ambitions.

The choice to be a Leafeon followed the same principles. An Eevee's decision to evolve into one of its eight forms was something that was taken very seriously. It was not only permanent, but also reflected upon who they are as an individual. It was why Mabel's grandmother was so unsure of her methods, telling her that basing her evolution solely on what she believes to be the most attractive wasn't very thoughtful. She worried that Mabel's perception of love was geared more towards lust rather than companionship.

Mabel has not regretted her evolution ever since. Umbreon, Flareon, and Jolteon were out of the question. They seemed far too masculine to her. She ranked Sylveons as being number one on the "_cuteness factor"_, and the same for Espeons on the "_sexy factor", _but they weren't very subtle. She didn't want to seem desperate. Joy didn't know exactly what she meant by "subtle" and not wanting to come off as "desperate", but she nonetheless took offense. A Glaceon was also pretty tempting, but Mabel wasn't a huge fan of the cold. By process of elimination, she was split between Leafeon and Vaporeon. She ended up choosing the former out of a literal coin flip, much to her grandmother's dismay.

Still, Mabel grew accustomed to her new image. The stereotype for Eevee's donning their grass-type incarnation was their affinity and respect for nature and its bounty. Mabel was partial. She mainly enjoyed mother nature's ability to make beautiful, romantic scenery, but that was as far as her appreciation went. Nonetheless, she was resolute in her belief that a Leafeon was right for her. She also liked how they always had a pleasant, earthly scent to them - an aura that she believes will help her on her quest to find a suitor.

Mabel was not picky with who she dated. Even though she was still innately attracted to manly qualities and thus bias towards them, her only criteria was mutual interest. She will not force anyone into being involved with her, nor will anyone do the same to her. She thought her standards were fair and just, so she was baffled when she was met with so many difficulties. She was devastated by her first breakup, and then by her next one, and the next one after that, all because of reasons that were out of her control. She would exile herself to her room for a short period, having been driven to a solemn state each time her belief that things were going well would go horribly wrong. What set her apart from the rest of her female competitors was her emphasis on staying upbeat. When she was hurt, she learned to put up a smiling facade that fooled just about anyone, refusing to be slowed down. She kept her chin up out of sheer desire to achieve a blissful married life and to declare her superiority over her absent parents. She told herself that they had to be someone out there, someone who would truly cherish her, someone who could give her confirmation that what she was doing was right.

* * *

Joy idolized Mabel more than she'd care to admit. The young girl's unwavering conviction struck a chord in the Espeon. It was hard not to want to root for the Leafeon after she had placed her trust in Joy by confiding in her. The distressed teenager begged Joy to not speak of this again, including the ugly scene that was the entourage of snot-stained tissues surrounding her crumbled form, both of which she found extremely embarrassing and uncomfortable to talk about. The pink eeveelution nodded begrudgingly. If she didn't want to bring up her past, then Joy thought it better for her to just say that she had a oneupmanship complex, and left it at that.

The resulting aftermath of the shocking finale of Mabel's longest term with a guy to date was nothing out of the ordinary. She still continued to chant about how wonderful it must be to be swept off her feet. It would have been surprising to Joy to see her recover so quickly, but now she understood where she was coming from, even if only somewhat. Her outwardly devotion towards finding true love was also beginning to spread. For as long as Joy had known her, Mabel has been making incessant comments about how the pink eeveelution should return back into the fray. Joy preferred to tune out her words of encouragement, occasionally making the excuse that she was not like her, which was true, but that didn't stop Mabel from trying.

By some sort of miracle, Mabel's constant jabbing was starting to make visible progress. The Espeon had made the mistake of expressing how bored she was during their junior year. Mabel brought up the discussion for the millionth time that she should get herself wrangled up with someone, and to her surprise, her friend replied she was starting to consider it. Mabel was quick to congratulate this sudden change with overenthusiastic remarks. Joy could not keep herself from grinning. Her pride made her annoyed that Mabel's optimism was starting to infect her.

Joy had no trouble finding someone whom she thought seemed nice, though she was a lot more cautious this time around. The betrayal she felt two years ago was still fresh in her mind. She made it a little too obvious that she was putting her new lover under constant scrutiny. The boy told her that he understood her initial distrust, and was patient with her. She came to appreciate his honesty after a few months, and as soon as she started to let her guard down, they began their relationship in earnest.

* * *

Mabel envied Joy, for a year had passed and she was still going strong in keeping intimate relations. On a night that had a starry sky, Joy was not able to hangout with her best friend when they usually did, since she was getting ready for her anniversary with the Pokémon who had rekindled the fire in her heart. He invited her to a round of drinking, just with the two of them. They were still at what was considered to be a development age, so Joy didn't exactly jump at the offer, but he sweet-talked her into it. It was because it was an act of rebellion that it would be a night to remember.

Joy was living the dream. Maybe she had been met with misfortune before, because she sure wasn't now. Who would've thought her boyfriend could be such a romantic? She was scared at first to engage in something so taboo, her parents would've cracked down hard on her for sure, but they had no way of knowing. She had a sound enough mind to stop drinking when she assumed to have hit her limit. Her beloved, however, might've had a little too much. He suddenly made a crude attempt to woo her. It was so ridiculous and spontaneous that it borderlined the realm of sarcasm. The flustered Joy, having taken it literally, gave a meek reply of reciprocation - perhaps she really did have one glass too many. Before she knew it, the setting had turned from the local tavern to a dimly lit bedroom. What was going to happen would pale in comparison to her first time drinking, and amidst the ensuing moment of passion, she didn't know how right she was. The boy was evidently still drunk, as the moans he roared were names that did not sound anything like Joy, they didn't even rhyme. Joy initially thought it was gibberish when he finally said it, but then quickly realized that her name was among several of her fellow classmates and underclassmen. She demanded an explanation, praying to every god and deity that she was just hearing things.

* * *

Joy did not remember that specific night because she had tried something new and exciting, she saw it as the day she had been dirtied by a dirty man. Her heart had shattered into unrecognizable pieces. All men are selfish, horny degenerates, and exist only to toy with your emotions. This was the revelation that Joy had come to. It was the only thing that made sense to her, and she will not be fooled again. Mabel strongly disagreed, making Joy react with utter befuddlement. Not long after the destruction of the remainder of Joy's innocence, Mabel discovered that she too had been soiled by a man that was equally as filthy, if not more by the way Mabel retold the events. Knowing that, how can she still say such a thing?

"_You're delusional."_

"_No, I'm not."_

Joy could see it clearly now. Mabel was a living definition of insanity, and her very existence is proof of Joy's thesis. Each and every time the Leafeon gets cast aside, the room for error gets smaller, thus making her theory stronger. She planned to use it to protect herself from being ensnared by the corruption, and had already come up with several ways to preserve herself. In choosing to not associate herself with males, she omits any possibility of being hurt by them. She made sure that she was in full control of herself when in their vicinity. When interaction becomes inevitable, the silent treatment will be administered to the offender, and in certain situations where that was not appropriate, then plain professionalism will have to do. The constitutional loathing she felt whenever a male was in sight was so powerful that it also caused her to scowl, as if it were second nature. It was unintentional, but it made her less approachable, so she found no reason to stop. It inspired the idea that she should come off as mute, which led to her tendency to communicate telepathically - perks of being a psychic.

Mabel was taken aback by her sudden behavior, and urged her to reevaluate her decisions. She had always found her hard and tough exterior to be the most adorable thing about her, but this was too much. Some time and recollection might do her some good. Joy retorted back with venom, arguing that she had no right to speak on the matter. Whereas Joy had been taken advantage of twice, Mabel had been used almost a dozen times, and even with that many, the Leafeon gained nothing to use to back up her claim that males had some redeeming quality about them. Two is two too many, but a dozen? Mabel might as well save herself the trouble and ask to have her feelings stomped on right from the start.

"_We were just unlucky. That's all there is to it!"_

_Unlucky._ Joy scoffed. Now that is just being ridiculous. There is a difference between hope and stupidity, and the sooner Mabel realizes it, the better. One would think that after so many failed attempts, they might start to reconsider their methods. Mabel must be crazy to not have not realized this. The pain is just not worth it.

"_So, you want proof, is that it? Hah! Easy!"_

Joy expected that answer with verbatim accuracy, even before she said those harsh realities, and she wanted so badly for Mabel to be right. There was no way Joy could do it herself, the risk of being hurt was just too great. She couldn't bear it. Not again. Mabel was the only one that could do it. Joy reiterated that as long as Mabel had no hardline evidence, Joy's statement would be truthful.

Her leniency towards silence allowed Joy to become more perceptive than ever before. It made her realize that she could not stand idly by while her friend was torn to shreds in a loveless world. There was still a very real possibility that Mabel could be chewed and spat out with a black amalgamation for a heart. Such a transformation would kill her.

She got good at reading faces. It was the least Joy could do to help. She discovered patterns and expressions that uncovered a male's motives before they'd even realize it themselves - a skill that she wished she had before her outlook became grim. It made her angry when Mabel chose to ignore her warnings. She couldn't even get the satisfaction of saying "_I told you so" _when she was right in the end, but she didn't feel the need to be shocked at that point. Mabel was too pure, so why should she listen to a pessimist? Joy gave her answer in her own way. The foolhardy Leafeon could not be discouraged once her mind was set on something, but she was not the only option.

Joy was deft in her operations. Her interventions were always indirect and untraceable. The goal was to dissuade the other party into backing off before they could go through with their evil intentions. The ending result would then be a Leafeon becoming perplexed at why her advances had gone unnoticed, but a confused Mabel was better than a heartbroken one. Joy made it a point to only allow herself to take action once she was sure beyond a reasonable doubt that Mabel was falling in with the wrong crowd, thus giving her the occasional chance for her attempts at courtship to flourish. By then, Mabel was on her own, which of course led to her still falling victim to a male's amusement, but Joy had solace in knowing that she prevented more than a few from happening in the first place. Once it came time to attend Cradily University, Joy became adept at her scoutings. Identifying even the most unassuming threats was a chore for her.

* * *

Mabel saw the prospect of college as the ideal environment for her search. Joy saw it as just another setting to be right behind Mabel in whatever she did. The Espeon was content to live in the shadow of someone that brought so much attention to herself. Pokémon seem to gravitate towards her, which made Joy's role as a guardian all the more easier, and it didn't take long for her to grow confident in her abilities, afterall, it's hard not to become reliant on beliefs that have yet to be disproven.

The young Espeon ended up taking a liking to specific classmate that, like many others, was drawn in by Mabel's magnetic personality. She was a Sylveon, and Joy could immediately tell that she was soft-spoken, even though the eccentricity of most fairy-types was telling her otherwise. Joy soon discovered her to be a relaxing contrast to Mabel's usual loud conduct. The Sylveon was a frequent daydreamer, and liked to seclude herself in the college's library, surrounding herself with lofty tales of a wide range of genres, though her preferred fantasies seemed to be romance, because of course it was. To be a bookworm probably meant that she was also booksmart, so Joy thought her to be a suitable partner for philosophical and other intelligent debates, but then found her submissiveness to be tiresome. Joy didn't seem to mind overall. This girl seemed like she needed more friends in her life, as implied by her tendency to fade into the background, which again, was unlike most fairy-types. Joy saw a bit of herself in the Sylveon, so she was more than willing to lend a friendly paw. Joy also wanted a second opinion on certain matters, which may have also been a selling point on making an acquaintance.

"_Stella, what do you think of that Leafeon?"_

"_Huh? W-Which one? Mabel?"_

"_No, the one she's talking to."_

"_Oh, y-you mean Milo? I don't know… he's alright, I-I guess." _

"_Didn't you two come from the same hometown?"_

"_Y-Yeah, but that's just about it. I d-don't know what to think of him."_

Joy couldn't have said it any better herself. This Milo character was the first case in which she had absolutely no idea of what to make of someone. The way he gawked at Mabel suggested he had just been charmed not because a splendid-looking female was in front of him, but by the simple fact alone that someone wanted to converse with him at all. That was the only thing Joy could interpret, which was laughable in comparison to her first impressions on any other male.

It was frustrating to Joy that she could not decipher such a simpleton. Milo defied everything she knew about what it meant to be masculine. He has a face that gets more handsome the longer you look at it, which he should be using to his advantage, but he was always so anxious in public that his mouth looked like a squiggly line. And while he may look a bit scrawny at first, closer inspection revealed an undeniably athletic build. It was not as brawny as a Machamp's, but it was muscular enough that it did not fit well with his apprehensive demeanor. He also pals around with a Flareon that embodied every trait necessary to be a total casanova, which he was, so one might think some of that womanizing confidence would've rubbed onto Milo, but it didn't. Joy could read what the Flareon was into like a children's book, but Milo was a bunch of incomprehensible scribbles. She hated not knowing what he was after. It was because he didn't give off any sort of rationale that made him so antagonizing.

She did find some amusement when watching Mabel's flirts, ranging from obscure to basically straightforward, fly far above Milo's head, to the point where they hit the clouds. It takes a certain level of obliviousness to where Joy had no way of knowing if it was intentional or not. It was a shame though, as there was definitely some chemistry between the two, given that they were both of the same species.

Eventually, Milo's blatant passivity sparked an idea within Joy. What if he were to serve a different purpose? It was genius, since to her relief, Mabel was not going to be combining her and Milo's name together as part of some weird couple's tradition anytime soon. Upon coining it to the now discouraged Mabel, she shocked her by taking her advice.

Milo _was_ going to be Mabel's boyfriend, just not in the way that would be considered conventional. Joy specified that they start off in a platonic relationship, emphasizing that the benefits of this opportunity were numerous. If it works, then Mabel could stay on positive terms with this potential mate while simultaneously being on the search for others. She could also use him to gain insight on a male's perspective on things, which would be a valuable commodity for someone like her. In the meantime, Joy can explore Milo's hidden motives at her own pace. If his aloofness turned out to be an elaborate ploy for something distasteful, Joy had already thought of several countermeasures.

The plan went off without a hitch, though not in the way she had hoped. At the very least, she discovered that the idea of being friends was a language that Milo could speak, despite romance being an entirely different matter. Perhaps he was still a child in a young adult's body.

* * *

To say that Joy was agitated in her studying of the anomaly that was Milo throughout her first year in Cradily would be an understatement. Her lack of findings were justified in that she did not place him under much priority, as evidenced by the time Mabel brought him into their dorm once while she was in there. She paid him very little acknowledgement, since Mabel does that to everyone she befriends, but now Joy realized that it might've been a mistake. Throughout such an extended period, she unveiled nothing except that Mabel was growing increasingly fond of her platonic associate. It was starting to worry her. The more Mabel got attached to someone, the harder she was going to inevitably fall. Her description of him to be a nice and likable Pokémon was the signal to Joy's alarm. She has heard her say that countless times. That's exactly what they want you to think. They're vile creatures, every single one of them.

Milo is a timid individual, that much Joy can understand, since that too was obvious. She is well aware of how some girls just eat those types of boys up, and Mabel is undoubtedly one of them. Just that knowledge alone could not be used to infer any kind of motivation. Mabel did not make it a secret that she visited Milo at his home on occasions, so she must be overflowing with information about him. Joy was out of options, she had to swallow her pride and ask Mabel herself.

Once the Leafeon was done poking fun at the possibility that Joy might finally be succumbing to her loneliness again, she ironically became flustered. She began to try to put Joy's mind at ease by stating that Milo will never once even think about overstepping his boundaries. It was like he was under the notion that being "best friends" with someone was the highest level of bond that could be obtained, and nothing more. There was, however, a period where Mabel thought she had the honor of being his crush. He would stare at her the same way he stared at his garden, of which he had an extreme dedication toward. Mabel wanted to ask him how he felt, but was too afraid. While it was not the kind of connection she was used to, it was still the longest time she had ever been on a male's good graces, and she wasn't going to risk scaring him off just to satisfy a simple curiosity. She ultimately stayed silent, and the strange intensity in his eyes went away.

She noticed his mellowness right after another dark moment in her life. She had just been dumped by an upperclassman who called her perkiness irritating. Her sadness devolved into what Joy called "irrational thinking," because only a deranged idiot would think to seek shelter from a male's harsh criticisms by going straight to another one, who was liable to do the same thing. Mabel reminded her to get her facts right. Milo did not push Mabel away when she banged on his door. He allowed her to collapse into his arms and cry until her eyes were dry. He listened to her and told her that everything was going to be okay. Admittedly, given how inexperienced he was in dealing with those sorts of things, he was not very good at conveying those words, but they were authentic. She'd always come when he was in the middle of something, usually when he was napping, and to set aside hours of his day to comfort her was a gesture she did not take for granted. She didn't realize how much she needed a true sense of compassion until she finally received it. Mabel was empowered - she wanted more. While she could have confided in her female friends like she had always done, since they were definitely more well informed about her situation, there was a certain kind of security and assurance that only a male's embrace could offer. She latched onto his sincerity the moment she discovered it. It was practically an addiction.

What Mabel was telling Joy were things she didn't need to know. She learned nothing incriminating about him. She needed another firsthand account, as Mabel's was too glossy to be deemed credible. Her solution came to her unexpectedly when her roommate dragged her from their dorm one day. Mabel was going on a shopping spree around the Cradle Town plaza and Stella was not available to be her pack Mudbray. Joy was seldom in the mood to go out, but decided to hold back her negative comments when they found a Leafeon sitting alone by the center fountain, likely having completed his own buying excursion due to the bag he was carrying. Joy was about to protest when Mabel invited the young man to have lunch with them, but then saw it as the perfect opportunity to do some research.

The Sunkern Café was his favorite diner - a completely unrelated piece of trivia about Milo - but that was not all. Figuring out his underlying motives was implausible, that much Joy had to accept, but she was content in knowing that she could at least read his expressions, as he was spectacularly bad at hiding them. Determining if he was lying or not was easy based on his reactions. Through this method, she eliminated the strong possibility that he was a homosexual after seeing the comical grimace on his face. Even though she detected his romantic disinterest towards her best friend to be true as well, she still had her doubts. She was certain that he did, because how could he not? It should be impossible to spend time with someone for over a year and not feel anything. Hormones just do not allow that to happen.

She took her findings back to her dorm, only to conclude that she needed to conduct more trials. She surprised both herself and Mabel when she accompanied her on a handful of visits to Milo's house. Joy was just asking to be teased later, so Mabel didn't object. There was no tension in the air when there were three eeveelutions in eachothers' presence, rather than the usual duo. The experiment was to see how Milo would react to there being two temptresses in the same room with him, and the results were underwhelming. The male Leafeon treated his guests with a kind of casual courtesy, like it was an everyday occurrence for him. Although he was unnerved by his unfamiliarity with Joy, he was generally unfazed. His lack of a reaction towards the Espeon could likely blamed by how hard he was trying to hide his exhaustion, which was unusual considering that it was a weekend noon when they visited. His voice was ragged, his tan fur was battered, and his paw pads were coarse. He made the excuse that he was busy tending to his garden as of late, saying that it was harvest season. Mabel was concerned and offered to leave early so that he could rest, whilst Joy could only shrug. He was clearly doing a rigorous workout routine, since she doubted that simple gardening chores could support a physique like his. What struck her as odd was why he would try to lie when there was no tangible benefit in doing so.

Joy thought she was onto something. Deceit always implies something malicious. She brought it to Mabel's attention, who instantly dismissed it as normal. Mabel knew he was lying too, but said that it was barely worth mentioning. That's just his thing. He's way too modest to accept anything remotely related to praise, and refuses to talk about himself. His confidence was something that direly needed improvement, and until then, the way he deflects comments was just something that she had to get used to.

That must be it. Mabel's undermining of her hypothesis had laid the foundation for a new one, and it was a breakthrough. Milo is an asexual. It is of course a claim that Joy could not confirm, nor will she ever try to find out, but it did make everything unusual about him become logical. His nonexistent sexuality and esteem could all be explained because he believes that he does not deserve to have them. It seemed like a waste to have such awful virtues, and even a bit irrational for someone like him, but that was his choice, and no one else's. If he had a character as boisterous as his Flareon buddy, he too would've had a popular and exciting college life.

* * *

The long-awaited conclusion to the mystery came as a relief to Joy. She was a little annoyed to have dwelled on it for so long, but she was glad to not have to worry about Milo anymore. He was not a threat, so Mabel could do whatever she wanted with him. Even Joy was asking to tag along with Mabel on some visits by her own volition. The boy made himself an easy target for Joy's sense of humor, and it would be a crime not to toy with his naïveté.

The freedom from being off the case allowed the Espeon to focus on much bigger issues. Cradle Town has been in a recent uproar about an unknown vigilante around the forest. They compared their exploits to a _ninja_ of all things. Joy thought it was a prank, they could not be riled up about something so ancient. Really? Ninjas? In this day and age?

Joy tried to ignore it until she couldn't anymore. The speculations on who this savior could be was like a plague that specifically affected the mouth. Mabel was infected, so it naturally transmitted to everyone she knew. Nobody was immune. Anyone who claimed to have a near-death experience before being rescued were promptly questioned by the local press. The reporters, including an adorable little Eevee girl in particular, were entrusted with compiling all the information they gathered into the newspaper. They published articles on their cross-examinations and interviews stating that the vigilante must at least be a male. They were making slow but steady progress on uncovering the Pokémon's identity. The amount of data they had was proportional to the town's excitement.

A new symptom had mutated in the disease, this time affecting almost everyone on campus. They were infatuated with the real-life superhero. Mabel was singing to Joy how much she wanted to do not-so-innocent things to him, and Stella was convinced that one of her fairy tales was playing right before her very eyes. Joy didn't get why they were so entranced until she found out that they were both saved by the so-called _ninja_. Commendations were in order. If the anonymous rescuer had not been around, the tragic young woman would've been alone and left to grieve over her best friends. Just thinking about it terrified her. If she ever came across this _ninja_, she'd make sure to express her appreciation. Many others seemed to share the same sentiment, and there was already a huge stockpile of their letters of gratitude at the Pelipper Post Office. Joy wanted to say her thanks personally, so she tried to be unique with her postcards by trying to provoke the recipient. A hero's ego would demand that they answer the supposed challenge, to which she would clear up the misconception when they met.

When several eye-witness accounts officially confirmed the vigilante to be a male Leafeon that was roundabout her age, Joy couldn't help but feel a little peeved. The idea that she had essentially asked to see a boy in private didn't appeal to her. She surmised to just get her message across that she was grateful, and then go about the rest of her day. It was only a matter of time until the hero was revealed, so she didn't bother to do any detective work herself. The possibilities on who it could be was narrowed down to a handful of the population. Joy only knew of one Pokémon who matched the known description, but he was a definite alibi. A defeatist like him had no way of being responsible for preserving the lives of so many loved ones.

The anticipated discovery of the mysterious forest savior turned Milo's life upside-down, including the lives of those who knew him. He exiled himself into his own home for a time, refusing any and all forms of recognition. Mabel was screaming into her pillow every night. Joy was frustrated when she found out. She abhorred the prospect of being indebted to a male, but Milo? That's like pouring salt on the wound. The only silver lining was that it also meant that expressing her gratitude to someone she knew was going to be much easier. She had all the time in the world to do it, so she was not in a rush. She could still have fun knowing that Milo was the one receiving her ominous letters. Just imagining how much he must be freaking out made her laugh.

Mabel was dead set on confessing her feelings to Milo. He was just so perfect for her that she couldn't take it. He was always there for her, and now, after she learned that he was the one that prevented her life from potentially being cut short, bottling up her emotions was just impossible. The one problem was that she was too scared to do it. She had put him under so much stress about the whole hero situation that it gave him every reason to despise her. Rejection had never been so horrifying.

It was up to Joy to push things along. She fully expected Milo to reciprocate. Even though he may be a staunch aromantic, he would likely accept due to his sensitivity to Mabel's feelings. Over time, Mabel's devotion should change his opinion. Their feat in maintaining a friendship for so long should at least guarantee their compatibility. It'd be a happy ending for both of them, and if it wasn't, she assumed that Mabel would have the willpower to shake it off. There was nothing Joy could do about it anymore without compromising herself. All the pieces were clicking into place, and all she had to do was wait. She would be leaving soon to study abroad anyway, an opportunity that she only cared to go on because her parents wanted her to, and she didn't want to leave any unfinished business behind. It of course meant that she was now obligated to admit that she owes someone as pathetic as Milo a favor, but it had to be done. She knew even before her talk with him that it was going to leave a bitter taste in her mouth.

She preserved a bit of her dignity by slapping his idiot face. The jerk got what was coming to him for reacting the way he did. Nonetheless, she could now leave for most of the summer without any worries. There was a minor inconvenience that occurred just as she was about to depart. She recognized the Flareon more because of his reputation rather than him being one of Milo's friends. He reminded Joy to keep her guard up.

* * *

Joy was appalled to have come back from her trip and find that her predictions were off by a significant margin. She prepared herself for the disgust she was going to feel to see Milo and Mabel getting mushy with eachother, only to find that little progress had been made, if any at all. Mabel said that he was thinking about it, and needed time to work things out, but wouldn't tell her what it was. It made Joy furious. She never expected him to be stringing Mabel along on potential falsehoods. It could've been worse, but she will not settle for anything less than the best outcome. She retaliated his cruelty with a practice of equal magnitude. Her anonymous letters now demanded that they meet so she could set him straight. She thought of her punishment as clever, since Milo was only being tormented for as long as he chose to ignore them. He could blame no one but himself.

She grew more upset with him when he continued to be unresponsive, causing her anger to be translated onto her future notes. At the same time, the Espeon was secretly relishing it. She knew her messages were scaring the wits out of him, because she observed him herself sometimes, and she loved it. Eventually she started signing her notes with a random alias she came up with, just to increase his fright. She was doing it for his own good, so she might as well get some entertainment out of it. To finally be able to manipulate a gender that caused her and her friends so much agony brought her great satisfaction.

His suicide was a total miscalculation. The news spread rapidly, and the whole town went through another round of chaos. Stella now believed that one of her nightmares was becoming a reality. Had Joy known this would happen, she would've shown some restraint. She didn't think empty threats could push someone to such lengths, other pressures must've been at play, but either way she was willing to accept some of the fault. She was remorseful mostly because of how much Mabel was affected.

"_I think... I'm done with this… you know... with this whole dating thing."_

Milo had done it. The seemingly harmless boy had obliterated Mabel's ironclad resolve. The Leafeon also believed to have been responsible for his death. She became withdrawn. The mere act of speaking had lost its appeal, and she only did it out of necessity. Her chirpy tune morphed into single-worded, monotone fragments. It was like she became possessed by a spirit that robbed her of her very identity. She pressed hard into her academics as a sort of crude defense mechanism, trying to hide her melancholy, but her barrier was so transparent that it made her condition contagious. Her nights of crying drew even Joy to tears.

Mabel's despondency was permanent. The days, weeks, and then months went by like white noise. Joy tried desperately to restore her jolly nature, but to no avail. She became stricken with her own special kind of grief. If only she didn't let her past frustrations interfere with her actions, then she wouldn't have become the enemy of her own inner turmoil. Joy's worst fears were coming true. She failed to protect her dearest friend, and now she had to live with the consequences.

Winter, along with its coming holidays, did little to uplift the dejection that both the eeveelutions felt. Mabel was on the slow road of recovery, but Joy had a gut feeling that it would be so sluggish that it'd take a century for Mabel to remember how to speak in a complete sentence. The Leafeon said in a meek tone that a faraway town had recently been constructed, already being prided for its marvelous shopping district. She thought indulging in a nice ladylike outing would remedy her aching heart, and wanted to organize a group to share the experience with, but no one wanted to waste their vacation on a journey where it'd take about a week just to get there. Her initiative came as a surprise to Joy, who was still busy dragging herself and Stella to wallow away in all the "_what-if's."_

Mabel went at it alone, which put the Espeon in further awe. She really was intent on going on such an extended pilgrimage in an attempt to reform. Joy at least had to see her off, and she could've sworn that her disappearing figure on the snowy, prairie horizon was shimmering. It left the still distraught Joy with an odd sensation.

* * *

She was glowing when she returned. Mabel was gone for much longer than she promised, making her friends back at Cradle afraid that she had left for good, or even worse, the Leafeon might've succumbed to her grief and allowed the harsh wilderness to finally lay her sorrows to rest. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. More importantly, Mabel seemed to be completely cured of her anguish. Joy was astonished by the drastic improvement; she wanted all the juicy bits and details. Unfortunately, Mabel's playfulness was back in full force, and she wasn't going to loosen her lips without a fight.

Her jubilance was greater than ever before. The wide and cocky grin she wore as Joy prodded her for answers was mimicked by anyone who had the pleasure of seeing it. They bickered like they were siblings, and inevitably, Joy was able to corner her. Mabel accidentally let slip about a "_he", _which Joy used to spearhead her offensive. Mabel caved and gave an amorous summary of her adventure to the town of Floridity.

Milo was still alive and well. The words resonated within the Espeon before she exploded with a seething rage. That scoundrel! None of this would've happened if he wasn't so selfish! This must've been his plan all along! Oh, that was it. She was going to cherish the day she gets her paws on that vermin and make him feel her wrath. Her forked tail twisted, as if it were ready to wring around someone's neck.

The inferno that burned inside her was immediately extinguished by the still beaming Leafeon that stood in front of her. Mabel, completely unfazed by the animosity that was just pouring out of Joy, waited patiently for her to calm down so she could continue to gush about her grand voyage. That smile on her face was there to stay. Joy had put an excruciating amount of effort into resurrecting it, and she only just realized that Milo was able to do it in a single day, and then going above and beyond. It seemed obvious in hindsight. Of course the only way to fix an ailment as severe as this was to find the cause itself. Granted, neither of them even knew that Milo was still alive, let alone find him, but such an extraordinary coincidence hardly calls for complaint.

Joy gazed at her with a dumbfounded expression, no longer capable of listening to what she was saying. It was at that point Joy knew that her theory just got debunked. There are indeed males of her generation that are the key to reaching the peak of one's happiness - they were just unlucky this whole time. Mabel's struggle was being rewarded once and for all. She had won, and Milo was going to be at her mercy whenever she decides to celebrate. The poor sod had no idea of the beast he just unleashed upon himself.

Joy was envious, now she wanted to be happy as well. She was captivated just by seeing someone in such an enchanted state, making her wonder what it must be like to experience it herself. The delight must really be worth the risk of letting her guard down. Even if she was going to be slow to adapt, she owed it all to Mabel that she could start to feel this way. She wouldn't dare to think where she would've been if she had never met her.

It became painfully aware to her that she has none of what Mabel has an abundant supply of. It was the defining characteristic that secured Mabel's victory right from the very beginning, and Joy caught a glimpse of it when Mabel left for Floridity by her lonesome. It reminded her of why she never considered Mabel to be her equal. To have the strength to bounce back from even the brink of chronic depression, solely because there is the tiniest chance that they'll see things through in the end, is something to be admired. Joy knew it all too well, but still couldn't find an answer that explained her inferiority. It was once Mabel came back with an iridescent glow that she finally figured it out.

She simply lacked the mental fortitude.


	21. Chapter 12 - Change

**Chapter 12 - Change**

"Honestly, was me showing up in the first place not enough of a giveaway?" The Espeon mused with a sigh, offering a sidelong glance as she did so. _You really haven't changed at all, haven't you?_

"I… I…" I sputtered, taking two steps back for every step Joy took towards me.

_I'll give you some credit though, I didn't expect you to answer those letters so soon. I thought I was going to have to wait at least another year before you had the guts to come see who your big, bad, stalker is. _She grinned, taking a moment of silence, as if she were waiting for me to respond to her patronizing, but my mind was too busy spinning out of proportion to even consider speaking, much less make up a retort. Joy frowned when the only thing I could manage was to return her gaze with a face that was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. _C'mon Milo, relax. I'm not here to hurt you or whatever it is you're scared about. I just wanna talk. _

"T-Talk?" I spat out. I wasn't buying it. My instincts were screaming at me to make a fight-or-flight response the longer I was here, alone in a dark forest with the physical embodiment of my nightmares. In fact, I probably would've tried to make a mad dash towards home at this very second, if I hadn't discovered that I had backpedalled into a tree at the edge of the clearing. Joy put on a satisfied smirk at my predicament and sat on her haunches when she was a few feet in front of me. "You j-just wanna talk?"

_Isn't that what I just said? _The psychic rolled her eyes. _And how many times do I have to tell you to speak through your mind?_

_Oh… right. _I gulped. I found what little comfort I could get from bracing myself against the thick trunk behind me and pressing my back against it, hanging on for dear life. _And I can leave after we're done, right?_

_Shouldn't that already be a given? _She yawned, _I don't know about you, but I'd rather be sleeping right now._

I took a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably, _Okay, so… what did you want to talk about?_

She brought her head up suddenly, revealing a bright smile. It seemed so genuine that it made it off-putting. _I just wanted to say thanks._

The remark made me subconsciously loosen up. _Thanks?_

Joy nodded, the moonlight failed miserably at hiding the faint blush on her cheeks, though I wasn't going to comment on it. _Yes. Thanks. _

I slipped my back off the tree and returned to a normal posture on all fours, eyes narrowed. _For what?_

_For saving Mabel of course. What else would I be thanking you for?_

I failed to notice that my jaw had dropped. _Umm… haven't you said that already?_

The still flustered Espeon nodded once more, her forked-tail whisking silently behind her. _I have. That was for the first time you saved her life. Now I'm here for the second time._

_What? When did I do it again? I never-_

_Whether you know it or not doesn't change the fact that you did, so I called you here to express my gratitude. _She turned away from me to show that she had regained her composure, as well as her attitude.

_I don't-... I have no idea what you're saying… _I looked down and scratched my head, _Is this some kind of trick?_

She scoffed, _If it was, do you really think I would tell you? Is this not what you were expecting?_

I bit my lip, trying to gather up my thoughts, then I gave the most stern and rebellious glare I could manage, knowing full well that it was not going to intimidate her in the slightest. "Yes, actually." I exclaimed, "Are you saying that every single one those creepy letters you sent over the years, including today and yesterday, were all because you wanted to say thanks?"

Joy responded with an annoyed stare, even standing on all fours, like she was about to protest my discontinuation of telepathy, but stopped herself and laid face-up on the grass, supporting her head by using her forepaws as a pillow as she looked up towards the night sky. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then spoke. "That's correct."

I huffed at her lack of a reaction, even though I was expecting it, but I still couldn't help but start to get frustrated. "That's it? That's all you have to say? You ruined my life in Cradle and all you have to say is that?"

"I'm simply answering your questions." She said nonchalantly, closing her eyes. "I owe you some favors now that I'm in your debt, don't I?"

"And you expect me to believe that none of what you say are lies? Because it seriously sounds like you are."

"Except I haven't." Joy quickly countered, "You're just going to have to take my word for it." She cracked an eye open and motioned for me to take a spot next to her. I declined and opted to sit where I already was. "Well go on then, I'm done with what I have to say, but how about you?"

A small and bitter part of me wanted so badly to lash out at her, but I couldn't. I took a deep breath. She was right - I did have a lot of questions - and my curiosity demanded that I don't lose this opportunity. "So, assuming that you are telling the truth that you did all this just so you could say 'thank you', why couldn't you have randomly pulled me aside one day and said it then, instead of doing all this?" I asked suspiciously, and maybe a little too spitefully. I was trying to make her realize how unbelievable her perspective is. Though, if she truly does mean no harm, I might just collapse in relief.

"... I have my reasons." The pink eeveelution said blankly, eyes still closed.

"What? I thought you said you were going to answer my questions."

"I am, aren't I?" She shrugged, "Doesn't mean I have to elaborate."

"You're really not helping your case that you've been telling the truth to me, you know that, right?"

"I'm aware." The Espeon chuckled. "Besides, everything worked out in the end, hasn't it? I think Floridity is much nicer than Cradle."

"It would've worked out sooner if you hadn't-"

"Oh hush. I'm not here to argue. The sooner we're done with your questions, the sooner we can both go to sleep."

"... Fine." I took in another deep sigh, "What about that time back in Cradle where you tried to kill me with super-sharp sticks? How can you justify that?"

"You seriously couldn't figure that out? I just wanted to scare you into finally meeting with me, which obviously hasn't worked." She explained matter-of-factly, flicking her tail. "And I wasn't _trying _to kill you - I knew where I was aiming."

"You almost hit my neck!"

"_Almost_." She emphasized, "Exactly what I was going for. Look at it this way, I'm a psychic, that alone should wash away all of your concerns." The red gem on her forehead glowed momentarily to prove her point.

"_It doesn't._" I muttered under my breath. Joy's ears twitched, indicating that she probably heard me anyway, but didn't say anything. The only thing I've gotten so far out of this conversation is how cool it would be to be an Espeon. Psychic's must really have it easy if they can just use their powers as a scapegoat for everything. "What about my tree?"

"What tree?"

"My Sitrus berry tree that you chopped down back in Cradle!"

"You mean the one that was in the middle of your garden?" She giggled when she saw my nod, "Oh, I was doing you a favor for that one. It looked pretty wilted to me, so I thought I'd help you get rid of it. You even said it yourself."

"I only said that as an excuse at that time, because it wasn't! It was still growing! I've been raising it ever since it was a sapling!"

"Okay okay, settle down. I'll take the fall for that one. I guess I don't know much about gardening as much as you do." She met my growing fluster with a smirk. "You're not going to lecture me about plants now, are you?"

Suddenly my burning passion was morphed into a childish excitement. I felt no shame when my ears perked up at the offer. "... I mean if you want to-"

"Stop." Joy sat up and raised a pink paw up to my face. "I was being rhetorical. You'll bore me to death."

My ears drooped.

"C'mon Milo, I thought you wanted this to be serious. I can't believe how easy it was to get you sidetracked." She said tiredly whilst rubbing her temple, "Next question."

"O-Oh… right. This is a bit off topic, but uhh..." I said awkwardly. My statement caused Joy to roll over on her side, looking attentive. "What does Mabel mean to you?"

The Espeon shifted her eyes up towards the sky, as if to ponder what I said, before giving me a sly look. "She's a good friend - that's what you would say, right?"

I flared up. "W-What? Hey, don't turn the question back at me!"

"Are you saying I'm wrong?"

"Yes! W-Wait… I-I mean, no!" I panicked.

"So am I wrong or am I not?" She giggled with a playful, mocking intonation, "Maybe I've misinterpreted the question. How about you rephrase it?"

"R-Right." I hastily agreed, taking a moment to catch my breath. I should've known by now that talking to Joy is just as dangerous as talking to Mabel. "Umm… what I meant to say is… what do you think of Mabel?"

"That's better… so, what do I think?" Joy repeated, placing a paw on her chin to make herself look thoughtful, "The short answer to that would be that I think she's very strong."

_Strong?_ Interesting word choice. I gave her a strange glance because of it. "What's the long answer?"

Her smug grin implied that she was waiting for me to ask that. "Let's just say that if someone were to be around her long enough, she eventually starts rubbing off on you. I like to think I'm 'someone', and I have reason to believe that you are a 'someone' as well."

I couldn't help but raise a brow at her ambiguity. "What do you mean?"

"First, let me ask you this: I was honestly expecting Mabel to be here with you as well, but she isn't - am I correct in assuming that this is because you've spoken with her before you went to confront your worst _nightmare_?" She seemed especially proud to say those last few words.

My expression turned into a skeptical one. "... Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Now consider this: have you told her about your stalker problem previously?"

"No…?"

"Uh huh…" Joy nodded excitedly, like we were solving a riddle together. "And…?"

"...And?" I nodded along with her, waiting for her to say more, but she was merely staring at me intently. "And what? Where are you getting at?"

She facepawed. "Okay, let me give you another example: have you noticed anything different about me?"

I eyed her up and down and saw absolutely nothing of note, causing me to feel hot and worried. "Err… was I supposed to?"

"Ugh… _boys._" She grumbled, "Have you noticed that I haven't been scowling at you, or that I'm more expressive than I usually am?"

"Well, now that you mention it…" I agreed passively.

Another eye roll, courtesy of Joy, "And can we assume that we've both known Mabel for a long time?"

"... Sure?"

"Uh huh…" Her voice trailed, along with her nodding expectantly again. "And so that must mean..?"

I started scratching my arm. "Ermm… I'm not sure I follow…"

An overdramatic groan roared out of her. "Never mind, I give up." She slapped her forehead with her paw and tiredly dragged it down her face. "Why do I even bother with you?"

"Can't you just tell me what you mean?"

"Nah, less fun that way." She shook her head, "Changing the subject... any last questions?"

I kept quiet for a while, debating my next inquiry, "Does Mabel know that it was you?"

"Of course not. She wouldn't be able to hide the fact." Her gaze turned towards the sky once more. "Are you going to tell her?"

"... No, I won't."

I could've sworn I saw her recoil. "Interesting. May I ask why?"

"I don't want to ruin your friendship with her. It isn't right." I said tentatively, feeling a bit squeamish.

"How noble of you. Maybe I've misjudged you." She replied monotonically, "Clearly, you don't know Mabel very well. I doubt she'd think much of it if you did tell her."

"... I see." I said with my head hung low. I've heard enough, and my drowsiness was beginning to arise. I stood up and began to walk back towards Floridity. After a few steps I looked behind me to see if Joy was going to stop me. She was laying on her back with her eyes perpetually closed, not moving a muscle. "I need to hear it again."

A single, lavender-furred ear flicked upright. "Hear what?"

"Did you really send all those letters, even when you knew how I reacted, just to say 'thank you'?"

"... Yes." I nodded, surmising that now is the best time to leave. I only managed a few more strides before I was suddenly surrounded in a bright blue light and lifted into the air. Another round of adrenaline was surging through my veins. Too bad that it was being wasted when all I could do was ungracefully swing my four limbs around, doing nothing but confirming that I was _literally_ floating. Not long after, I was quickly spun around to face the source of the anomaly. An Espeon was steadily making her approach to me, her crimson jewel shining its white gleam. "... And no."

"H-Hey! Put me down!" I shouted, "You said you just wanted to talk!"

Her forehead gem flashed in response, putting a stop to my frantic motions by taking away my control of them. My arms and legs were spread wide apart, like I was trying to make a snow angel in midair. Except for my head and neck, I was having an involuntary, full body paralysis; I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried. "I lied, but believe me when I say that this will be the only time. You would've been a lot less cooperative otherwise."

I gulped. "What do you plan to do with me?"

"Giving up already?" She sighed, "Fine, I'll keep my _evil monologue_ short, just for you." She began pacing around, moving back and forth between the left and right of my peripheral vision. "You see, while I'm grateful for you saving my best friend - truly, I am - there is something else I want you to know." She pointed an accusing paw at me. "Do you have any idea how difficult this is for me? I want to like you because you're why Mabel is so happy now, yet I want to hate you because you nearly killed her."

My heart thumped. "K-Killed her?! When did I-"

"Figuratively - though probably literally, to some extent." Joy continued, clearing her throat. "I honestly don't know what to think of you, so I'd like for us to _start over_, starting tomorrow, or the next time we see eachother." She stood up on two so she was at eye-level with me, or at least as close as she could get with someone currently floating a few inches off the ground. "Until tomorrow arrives, however, I still have one score to settle. Before you saved Mabel's life a second time, you hurt her, _badly_, so I will have to acknowledge that as well." She placed a reassuring paw on my shoulder, except her increasingly darker tone seemed to be cancelling that effect. "More specifically, because of your _actions_, you put Mabel and I through almost a year of unimaginable suffering, and I'm afraid I'm not as mature as you or Mabel." She grabbed hold of the leafy sprout appendage on my upper chest, simultaneously pulling me closer to her face and twirling it around her paw in a taunting manner. "Fortunately, there is a way I can forgive you and relieve myself of this grudge. As it turns out, there is a universal weakness that all males have, do you have any idea what that might be?"

The close proximity of her face made me desperately try to avoid her piercing gaze. "Uhh…"

Apparently she wasn't waiting for me to answer, as she instead stepped backwards without warning and jerked one of her legs upwards, where it crashed into a region that should never receive a substantial amount of kinetic energy so suddenly. I learned at that very moment that perhaps the reason why Joy wanted to meet at this faraway outskirt at night was so nobody could hear the agonizing howl that erupted from my maw. The turquoise aura enveloping me faded away soon after, allowing me to crumple onto the ground. I was clutching my groin area so hard that I had basically curled up into a ball.

I barely heard Joy trying to stifle her laughter through my whimpering. I picked my head up just in time to see her prancing around, her malicious demeanor now a thing of the past. "Well, that was a lot more satisfying than I thought it would be." She giggled uncontrollably. "That was the first time I got to exploit that little flaw about you males. You have my thanks again, Milo." She sang, voice giddy. "Now I have truly said and done everything I wanted tonight. What about you? Anything else you want from me?" The jolly Espeon asked quickly.

"N-No… I-I'm fine." I grunted. I rolled around in hopes that it would remedy some of this excruciating pain I was feeling. It didn't.

"Alright then. It's getting late, so I'll be going now. Enjoy the rest of your night." The Espeon waved, turned tail, and started skipping away. Then she stopped just before she reached the edge of the grotto, spun around and bounded towards me. I froze up when she crouched down beside me. "One more thing. I'm happy to inform you that you won't be hearing from _Beta Leaf_ anymore." She leaned in even closer until her mouth was directly above one of my ears. "But if you were to - hypothetically - hurt Mabel ever again… well, I'm sure you wouldn't want that to happen, would you?" Her expression was still a gleeful smile as she whispered the last sentence. My natural reaction was to shake my head feverishly at her demand. "Good! I'm glad we understand eachother! See you later!" She chirped, then disappeared into the forest with a bounce in her step.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief once I determined that she was gone. I laid there alone on the grass, basking in the moonlight and wishing that I was a female for about half an hour. For the first fifteen minutes I was moaning and groaning, though I did get brave enough to peek down below my waist to assess the damage. Miraculously, there were no signs of injury, not even a bruise, so at least the pain was internal and everything was still _intact_, but it didn't stop me from wondering if I was ever going to urinate properly for the rest of my life. In the latter fifteen minutes I was debating if I might have to crawl my way back home. I had one paw still on my crotch and used my other arm to pull myself forward, which was actually quite a task. I only travelled about five times my body length within the span of ten minutes until I decided how terribly inefficient it was. I spent the rest of the time willing myself to stand up and start limping all the way to my house.

The trek back to Floridity was like a fever dream. Ignoring the obvious casualty, which my body liked to remind me about with every step I took, I had survived my fateful encounter with my terrifying stalker completely unscathed… physically speaking, probably not mentally. I'm positive that I'm at least moderately traumatized by this event. I knew already that I was going to cringe the next time I saw Joy. What am I supposed to say to her now? Thank her for not running a tree branch through my gut when I was totally expecting her to? And how in the world are we going to "start over"?

_What exactly goes through the mind of someone like her?_

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I can save my reflections for later. This time, for real, my adrenaline was gone. The reality in that I had not slept in over twenty-four hours was hitting me in full force now. I've yawned over a dozen times, and I wasn't even halfway home yet. Fast forward several minutes and I could barely keep my eyes open when I reached the edge of the forest and onto the paved commercial district in Floridity. It was a miracle that I managed to keep myself awake long enough to reach my destination. I've never been more glad to see my unnaturally large and oversized stump residence.

My exhaustion finally got the better of me when I stumbled through my door. The last thing I could recall before falling flat on my face and clocking out was a Leafeon screaming and rushing towards me.

* * *

I woke up on my bed with my blankets draped over me. A quick glance out my bedroom window told me that it was sometime in the afternoon. It had to have been well past midnight when I got home last night, so I must've been asleep for about twelve hours. It would explain why I felt so refreshed.

I tried to sit up and stretch, but then froze midway when I found that I wasn't alone in my room. There was a fellow member of my species sitting on a chair right next to me, still wearing her signature black-rimmed eyeglasses. She was leaning forward on my bedside and using her arms as a pillow, not to mention she was sound asleep. I carefully calculated my next movements so I wouldn't wake her. Unfortunately, my days as a dexterous _ninja_ were long gone, and my stealth capabilities were not like they used to be, not that they were much to begin with. I didn't even get the chance to pull my covers off me when Mabel stirred awake.

"Hmm?" She murmured, rising her head off her arms and blinking several times. She froze as well when our eyes met. I was just about to wave a nervous _hello _to her when she tackled me into a hug. "You're awake!" She cried. I would've returned the gesture if not for the unusual angle at which she pulled me towards her, which forced me to move at an awkward angle, resulting in an overwhelmingly uncomfortable sensation in my pelvis to flood my senses. The terrible feeling was more than enough to make me yelp, causing the tan eeveelution to break away. "Oh! Sorry! I didn't break anything, did I?"

"N-No, it's fine." I said dismissively, too busy clutching my groin again. It probably wasn't the most appropriate thing to do in front of a girl, much less in a bedroom environment, but the coincidence in that I still had my blankets over me worked as a blessing in disguise in hiding my lack of modesty. "Just no more sudden movements like that, okay?"

"Okay, got it… wait a minute! I'm supposed to be mad at you right now!" She thought aloud. She abruptly grabbed hold of my shoulders and started shaking me violently, seemingly forgetting my previous warning for the sake of being dramatic. "What the _hell_ were you thinking!?"

"Wha-?" Now I had to deal with both dizziness and the aftermath of getting kicked between the legs. "W-What did I do?"

"Last night! Who in their right mind decides to pass out the second they get home? I almost had a heart attack!" She yelled, glaring daggers. I didn't miss the odd twinkle in her eyes that seemed to be displaying an emotion completely opposite from her anger. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I had to skip school to watch over you!"

"Uhh… I'm sorry?" I said, both confused and embarrassed. I didn't exactly choose to sleep on the floor. "I was just tired. You didn't have to skip your classes for me."

"Whatever." She huffed. "Joy's letting me copy her notes later today, so it doesn't matter." I subverted my own expectations when I winced at the mere mention of her name. Eventually Mabel let her arms off me so she could cross them instead. She puffed her cheeks into a pouty frown, which ended up working against her by making her come off more as adorable rather than intimidating. "You're lucky you came back unharmed. I would've put you on permanent house arrest if I even found your fur a little ruffled!"

"Aright, alright, geez." I begged, unable to resist the urge to scratch my arm and look at anything but her.

Mabel must've assumed I had learned my lesson, as her expression softened. "... But how? I thought you were going to get yourself killed by that stupid stalker of yours, yet there's not a single scrape on you. What happened?"

I instantaneously straightened up into an overly stiff posture. "Oh, you don't need to worry about that. We just had a chat."

"Who was it?"

"Umm…" My face started to feel hot. "I-It was just some fan who recognized me. You know, back w-when I used to-"

"Stop lying!" I recoiled at her accusation. "You're stuttering and acting weird! And you're all sweaty!"

"But i-it's the truth! And we really did just talk!" I retorted quickly, still blatantly demonstrating the three things she called me out on.

Unsatisfied, she leered at me dead in the eyes for what felt like an eternity. I could literally feel each individual sweat drop trickle down my face and neck. Whatever expression I was using to stare back at her must've somehow been perceived as an amorous invitation, as she leaned forward and crashed our lips together, completely out of the blue. The sudden stimulus caused me to shriek into her mouth, which translated into a muffled "_mmph!"._ I flailed around as I went back and forth deciding if I should push her off or not. Mabel interpreted my struggle as a signal to press down even harder, amplifying her assault on my senses tenfold - effectively making my brain go numb and my arms turn limp. One, two, god-knows-how-many seconds passed, though I can be sure that it was several times longer than the other two stunts Mabel had pulled. My eyes were in the process of rolling themselves back when she broke away.

"If you're not gonna tell me, then fine, don't. What happened in the past can stay in the past." She sighed happily, unfazed by what she just did moments prior. It was almost insulting how she was already breathing steadily while I was still gasping for air. At least I had her beat in having the most flushed face. "I was just kidding about being mad at you. The only thing that matters is that you're okay. I'm glad nothing happened last night."

"... Yeah." I spaced out. I wondered if she was aware that she had put me into a stupor.

"Welp, now that you're awake, it's time for me to go." She readjusted her eyeglasses, which had become slightly disarranged after she lunged at me. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She flashed another smile and then started for the door.

_You're leaving already? _

"Wait!" I reached out, my actions taken over by my thoughts. Mabel had a paw on the doorknob when she turned her head towards me. She looked as surprised as I was at my outburst. I lowered my arm down tentatively. "Uhh… I mean… nevermind."

"What were you going to say?" She padded back to my bedside. "If it's about work, I already did all the filing and accounting stuff that you left out in the living room yesterday, so stop worrying and relax! I know you had a long day."

"Oh… yeah, that was it." I stared at her with my mouth agape. "Thanks."

"Your welcome!" She beamed, making her leave once more. "Okay, I'll be going now!"

"... Bye." I said distantly, though I ended up saying it a minute after she had shut the door behind her.

* * *

I decided to spend the rest of my day in my backyard. Mabel wasn't joking when she said she did all the paperwork that I had put off. She even left them neatly organized in my office, or hers, more likely. It meant that I had nothing to do except wait for my berries to grow until they could be shipped off to complete my orders. I discovered that I never fashioned myself a new hammock ever since I moved to Floridity. What I had instead was a makeshift bench that I made a while ago as a placeholder. It would have to do for now. I plopped onto it and started relishing the feeling of being surrounded by my beloved plants, looking at nothing in particular. Luckily my berry crops were in their flowering stages, and I didn't hesitate to take in the pleasant aromas they were giving off.

It was weird to think that I was refusing to even step outside about twenty-four hours ago, now I was placidly sitting alone in my garden and taking in the sunlight. I was in the mindset that I was going to make my last stand against _Beta Leaf _here in my own home. In hindsight however, that probably would have led to me going insane or starving to death, whichever came first. I didn't dare to think about what would've happened if Mabel wasn't there to put a stop to my self-destruction.

_If only I had told her sooner…_

I arched back with my forepaws planted on the bench and started kicking my legs aimlessly, skimming the grass below. I ignored the discomfort in my groin from doing so. I'll give it a week for my condition to recover before I go see a doctor.

I went into that secluded clearing last night with the full expectation that I was not coming back. It probably would've been the case too, if my would-be-assailant turned out to be someone else. I was admittedly a bit too foolhardy going into it. Instead, I was able to come out with only an attack on my masculinity - not an ideal outcome, but I'm far from complaining. If what Joy said was true about what I did to her and Mabel, then I probably deserve a lot worse than what I got. I don't think I will ever stop having doubts about the other things Joy said, but I'll keep the grubby little fingers on my paws crossed.

_She said she is strong and rubs off on others… what does that have to do with me or her?_

I sighed and looked skywards. An occasional cloud drifted by the clear, blue atmosphere.

Flynn is right. I can't keep dwelling on the past. There are still a lot of things I must do to make up for what I did. Now that I'm free from the terrors of being watched by some unknown assassin, it's no longer necessary to keep looking behind me. I never would've believed the day would come where I had nothing to worry about. I stood up triumphantly at the thought, paws on my hips and all.

"What'cha doing there, Milo?"

My fur stood on end on the sudden introduction of a feminine voice. I screamed and tumbled back down onto my bench. There goes my pride. "Mabel! What-… what are _you_ doing here?" I countered, hoping it sounded casual enough to hide my embarrassment. "You were just here an hour ago!"

"I forgot to drop off some of my homemade tea!" She answered confidently, effortlessly hopped over my garden fence as she spoke. She produced a familiar glass bottle from her satchel and held it out towards me. "Here you go!"

"Oh… right, thanks." I said dumbfoundedly, accepting the warm container and placing it to my right, which Mabel took as a sign to promptly sit to my left. "Is there something else you wanted?"

"You haven't told me what _you _were doing." She said innocently. "Seems like you were in a good mood."

"Sorta." I scooted a couple inches away from her when I noticed that our sides were practically touching, knocking the bottle of tea next to me onto the ground in the process. Thankfully it didn't shatter, so we both pretended that it never happened. Mabel seemed more intent on closing the distance between us back up anyway. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" The Leafeon leaned in. She could _not_ be putting so much pressure on me without being conscious of it.

"That… that umm…" I bit my tongue to prevent myself from saying something I would regret. She giggled when I took several deep breaths in front of her in an attempt to suppress my anxiety. "... I owe you."

Her head tilted to one side. "What makes you say that?"

I chuckled nervously, "Well, for starters, I never would've been able to do what I did last night if you hadn't been there."

"What are you talking about? All I did was knock some sense into you! That's nothing compared to you what did for me!" She argued passionately. "I should be the one that owes you!"

"Say what you want, but that debt belongs to the old me. You're currently talking to someone else." I said defiantly, "Can't you at least hear how I'd like to repay you.?"

That seemed to pacify her. "... What is it?"

I sat up straight and turned my body towards her, trying to appear as formal as possible. "Well… I've been thinking… do you remember what I told you back at Cradle?" I stammered. I debated if this was really the right time to bring this up.

She looked like she had just been told the most idiotic question of all time. "There are a lot of things you said to me at Cradle."

I cringed at my mistake. I'm going to have a long self-conscious episode for that one later. "N-No, I mean like… when you first confessed to me?" Now she seemed intrigued. I even managed to get her to blush a little.

_Can't back out now..._

"... I think so. You said you'd-" Her voice suddenly abandoned her, leaving her mouth in the shape of an 'o', which she quickly covered up with a paw. Her eyes started to get watery.

"That's right. I said I'd be ready once everything blows over." I finished her sentence with a smile. I took advantage of her shock to curl my leafy tail around hers. She didn't seem to notice. "And now that I don't have anything to worry about, thanks to you, I was wondering if you'd like to… I don't know… _go out with me?_" I asked meekly.

I felt lightheaded as I waited for her response. She remained like a statue, making me afraid that I hadn't said my request loud enough. Then a tear streamed down her red cheeks, then another, and another. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She tried again and again to say something, but not a word could be spoken. She finally settled for biting her lip and giving a very subtle nod. I was already pulling her into a hug the moment the first tear began rolling down - not an excited one, but a slow and gentle one. It wasn't because I assumed what her answer was. It was simply a force of habit, which had developed ever since she first came to cry due to a broken heart.

"_... Yes._" She finally managed.

We stayed in that position long enough for my chest to be thoroughly soaked. My gut wrenched the entire time. I wanted to be anywhere except being stuck in this position, but my duties demanded that I attend to her for as long as she needed. She sobbed until her eyes were puffy and dry.

"I'm sorry I made you cry, Mabel." I apologized when the embrace was over.

"... Who's Mabel?" The Leafeon replied cheerily, wiping away her remaining tears. "My name is Maple."

_**END**_

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the Epilogue!**

**Please review if you'd like! I always love to read your criticisms and answer questions! **

**I'd also like to quickly mention the previous special chapter about Joy. I was _blown _away by the amount of views it got. Even if most of them were likely re-reads, that still means you guys really liked it right? I'm glad you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it! I'd love to know what you guys thought about it! And this chapter too!**

**Stay safe out there everybody!**


	22. Journal Entry 6

_Entry #149_

_It's been about a month since Maple and I started going out, technically speaking.  
She thinks we've been an item long before that, and that we might as well be considered  
mates already. While that may be true, I still believe last month to be the official date,  
since I also remember it being the same day where I could finally start living my old life  
again - where peace and relaxation are all I've ever known - much more memorable that  
way. Now I just have to make sure I don't do anything stupid and ruin it. _

_Speaking of Maple, I've lost track of how many times I've been smacked in the back of the  
head for calling her by her old name. It still feels weird to say it, much less write it. I do  
faintly remember it being her real name, but she can't seriously believe that I can just  
magically call her something else after addressing her as 'Mabel' for so long. The worst  
part is that she won't even tell me why. She just ignores the question whenever I ask. The  
only answer I've gotten from her is that I should "just ask Joy", which basically means I  
will never find out. _

_I started to allow Maple to live with me as well. I had a spare guest room in my house that I  
let her move into the other day, to which she almost immediately began pushing her luck by  
insisting we sleep together in my room. Needless to say, I wasn't entirely on board with the  
request to invade on my privacy. It just goes to show how Maple is no longer shy about her  
advances. It's not that I don't like it, it's that I think it's a bit... overwhelming, at times.  
She's been getting bolder everyday, and it's only a matter of time before she pulls me under  
her spell. I'm not even being suspicious either, I _know _she is, as I've made the unpleasant  
discovery that she is aware that I write in this journal. I was skeptical when I found her  
snooping around my bedside drawer a few days ago, but right as I was about to write this  
entry, I found that she had slipped a _very _provocative_ _photo of herself onto this exact page,  
so the reason why there are some dried-up bloodstains on the next couple of pages are  
__because of the intense nosebleed I had when I saw it. I not only have to find a new spot  
to hide my journal, but now I'm stuck dreading over how much Maple was able to read.  
There's some stuff here that I don't even want Flynn to know about! And is it worth keeping  
an obscene picture of Maple in exchange for the inevitable disaster that's waiting to happen?  
She's absolutely going to know whether I have it or threw it away, and it will definitely not end  
well for me either way. Did she __really just mastermind this whole joke of hers? I really wish I  
__knew what I'd be getting into with this relationship..._

_I still haven't talked to Joy ever since that night in the woods. As much as I don't want to cross  
paths with her, I also really want to discuss more about her motives behind why she did what  
she did to me, as well as how exactly we're supposed to "start over", afterall, the friend of my  
girlfriend should be my friend too, right? Unfortunately, my daily routines don't involve me going  
out a lot, aside from my sunbathing and/or hiking excursions, now that Maple spends most of her  
afternoons with me. The weekends are when I'm most likely to see Joy, since that's when Maple  
drags me around the Floridity plaza and sometimes even to the Florid University campus. However,  
I still haven't come across her in spite of all that. I found out why when Maple told me that Joy  
likes to visit her hometown on the weekends, which turns out to only be a half-day's walk from  
Floridity. Coincidentally, that same town is where I've heard Flynn has recently migrated towards.  
He wrote to me that it has something to do with the "gig" he mentioned a while ago, and I should  
look forward to seeing him soon. He's not wrong about the latter._


	23. Epilogue - Domestic

**Epilogue - Domestic**

"_Hah… Hah…"_

"_Mmm~... aahh~"_

"_... Nngh… w-wait, I'm gonna-"_

"_Shhh~"_

* * *

"God dammit." A Flareon heaved an exasperated sigh, slumping his back against the cushioned seats that are a staple of any respectable diner. "We gotta have _one _fun night together before you develop an irrational fear of going out."

"I'm afraid it's already too late for that." I replied half-heartedly. Hearing my own voice helped me snap out of a daydream that I was having. I blinked several times in succession to ensure I was back into reality. I felt a little self-conscious for almost drifting off into my own little world mid-dialogue, but I can mull over it later. It was about an hour past noon, and I had planned to take a much needed nap at this time, but I was lured out into the open by a certain orange eeveelution, with the promise that I'd be receiving a _Special Sunkern Milkshake Deluxe _for my troubles. If anything, maybe a heavy dose of sugar in my system would combat my fatigue. "Is this what you wanted to talk about?"

"Well, you did kinda leave me on a cliffhanger."

I crossed my arms. "And whose fault is that?"

"It's a _bar_ at _night_." He emphasized. "What did you think was going to happen? Shit happens all the time."

"Then why did you think going there was a good idea?"

"We're not exactly kids anymore, if you haven't noticed." He stated blatantly. "Consider it a rite of passage. You can't call yourself a real grownup without going to one."

"Then I guess I am one then." I said in dismissal. Usually I'd lie about trying something new to get him to stop badgering me about it, but this time I wasn't. I still have self-conscious episodes from when I was trying to make friends on my own. "It just seems like that whenever I go there with you, everything always goes wrong."

"Oh, so you're pinning the blame on me?" The Flareon said, point a paw at himself and feigning offense. "Even though I was with you the whole time?"

I huffed and avoided his smug gaze. It's never fun when he's being the logical one. "No, it's not."

"Oh? Then who could be the one to blame, if it's not me?"

His wording prompted images of yesterday's events to flash in my head, causing me to blush considerably. "... Mabel."

"Maple." He corrected.

I recoiled at my mistake, shocked that he was already more used to the name than I was. At least the Leafeon in question wasn't around to give me the stink-eye. "R-Right." I stammered. "What do you think even became of her when she came to us like that?"

"What? Did you not hear the shouting?" He remarked sarcastically. He answered his own question before I even thought to ask when he suddenly began pumping a fist into the air repeatedly and chanting "_Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" _

I gave him an odd look for his reenactment, unable to tell if he was being overdramatic. "Oh, errr, I guess not."

"_Bah._ At least you've admitted who the real culprit is." He shook his head. "So, does that mean you're going to tell me what happened? I've got a pretty good idea myself, but I'd like to hear it from you."

"Are you going to tell someone if I do?"

"Why would I do that? You should know that us business Pokémon are very big on keeping secrets, especially if it means preserving relationships with potential clients."

I chuckled, "Is that what our friendship has devolved into?"

"It might be if you don't spill the beans." He humored.

I smiled and leaned forward a bit, clearing my throat as I did so. My mind has been fixed on something that I didn't dare describe to anybody. I've thought that keeping myself occupied would help me cope, but trying to forget the unforgettable was exhausting and seemingly becoming more and more of a fool's errand. I couldn't shake the urge to want to confide in someone about it either; I was ashamed but filled with a childish eagerness. I had ulterior motives for agreeing to meet with Flynn again, even if I couldn't tell what it was exactly.

* * *

Yesterday was one of my most anticipated days of the year. It was the start of a weekend amidst the winter season. Just about everyone was on holiday break. I was probably among the unfortunate few that wasn't completely off the hook, since my role as a self-employed town supplier of berries demands labor all year-round, but since I don't get bombarded with as many orders as I do in the other seasons, on top of Maple being a near-instantaneous solution to the technical sides of my work, I might as well be on vacation with everybody else. More importantly, the coming recess meant that Flynn had plenty of free time to stop by Floridity, and I jumped at the offer to catch up with him at the local pub. My introversion was screaming at me to avoid such a lively and public place, particularly when it's during the after hours, not to mention that I was also going with the most gregarious Pokémon in the world; I was going to a loud place with an equally loud Flareon - a deadly combination. I've been to enough college parties with him to know that they're the last place I would want to be, but I was too excited to care and also bolstered with the security of knowing that Maple was going to be there with me.

"_I wanna come too! You're not the only one who's good buddies with Flynn, you know."_

"_Are you sure? It can get pretty crazy at night."_

"_All the more reason for me to come! I don't want other Pokémon to think you're single!"_

"_Aww geez… Mabel, you don't have to-" *Smack!* "Ow!"_

"_It's Maple!"_

I was unsure about having her come with us. The idea of her getting dragged into one of Flynn's possible misadventures didn't appeal to me, though my concerns were put to rest when Maple and I walked over to the inn that he was staying at. They immediately began chatting up a storm when they saw eachother. I had somehow forgotten that Maple was just as much of a socialite as Flynn. The relief from the realization was quickly overshadowed by another concern, where I now had to deal with the awkwardness of being the third-wheel as we padded towards our next destination. They were even walking ahead of me. Every attempt I made to speak up was cut off by their much more boisterous speech. I caught them stealing a glance at me a few times and then snickering, which also helped to put me off. I gave a pleading look at Maple and Flynn, but that too, was all for naught.

_Traitors!_

Thankfully I didn't have to be uncomfortable for too long; whatever they were saying likely would've been too esoteric for me to understand anyway. Maple ended up leaving us the moment we entered the tavern in favor of conversing with another group of Pokémon. I recognized them as fellow residents of my neighborhood. I've exchanged a few words with some of them in the past, back when I first moved to Floridity. Along with the rest of my neighbors, most of us shared similar backgrounds in that we were attracted by the opportunities that a developing town offered, which may also explain why we were around the same age. Unsurprisingly, that was as far as I was able to connect with them. Then of course, Maple came along and befriended them just days after she moved in with me. She took a certain liking to a female friend group that frequents any place suitable for gossip, and this night in particular was no different. Hanging out with them every now and then has since been a part of Maple's weekly routine, and the "_heeeeyyyy~" _that she sang out to announce her presence to the group likely meant that she was going to do just that. It was a fortunate coincidence for me nonetheless, as I could have my long-awaited chat with Flynn without worrying about Maple hogging the conversation.

I was admittedly enjoying my time learning about what the fire-type eeveelution has been up to, ignoring the part when he called me a "_fucking pussy__" _when I refused to drink anything except berry juice. The "gig" that he has been mentioning in the letters that we've sent back-and-forth to eachother is a cooperative education invitation from a prestigious company, which is known to have made its fortune by dominating the region's market on soap and other hygiene products. He had to transfer to another school, and thus another town, so that he could accept it. It's not unusual for students to partake in co-op programs, but the one that Flynn was able to land is actually a huge deal. That establishment in particular is infamous for how selective it is, and that's if they decide to take anyone in at all. One would have to show some serious merit and put in tons of effort just to be considered, so how exactly he was able get _invited_, he wouldn't tell.

"_Love can drive a man to do some crazy things…"_

"_What?"_

"_We're both guys, aren't we Milo? Haven't you ever done something to impress a girl?"_

Our banter naturally drifted into more personal topics after we had enough of talking about the mundane. Normally I would be dreading the inevitability, mostly because Flynn is always the one that's doing all the poking and prodding, but this time I made sure I was on the offensive. I thought I could catch him off guard by bringing up Joy, and then I can die happy knowing that I was the one to tease _him_. When I finally had a chance to mention her, I was met with a wide and toothy grin instead of a sweaty grimace. I tried not to act too miffed when he dragged me into an excited tangent. He boasted with a beaming smile that he had finally become properly acquainted with her weeks ago. At first, she only gave him passing glance whenever they happened to cross paths, but lately, Flynn claims that he has managed to be on speaking terms with her.

"_That's not even the crazy part! She approached me first! And she didn't even use that weird telepathy thing!"_

"_Really? That's… actually quite surprising."_

"_And you wanna know the first thing she said to me was? She said, and I quote: 'Hey, you're not so dirty afterall.' Don't you know what this means? She was totally flirting with me!"_

"_Erm... I don't know if you could call it that..."_

I was a little disappointed that I wasn't there to witness his first genuine contact with the girl that he's been going on about for so long. All I could now was root for him on the sidelines. I listened to him gush about how awesome it was to be alive and mope about how he wished he could see her more often than just the weekends. Then he changed the subject before I could realize it, where now he was the one asking about Maple. His inquiries were so specific that it was probably intentional, so there was little room for me to try to avoid his questions. I hoped that his recent, and exclusive, interaction with the lady herself would've satisfied his curiosity already, but alas, of course I wouldn't be able to get off that easily.

It turns out that Maple did mention some things regarding our relationship to Flynn, according to him, and he simply wanted to confirm it. The more plausible reason is that he likely just wants to amuse himself by getting me flustered by talking about it. Yes, we are _actually _dating, and it's been a point of pride for her to remind me of that fact pretty much everyday. Yes, I somehow managed the guts to ask her out, though technically she was the first one to do it a long time ago. And...

"_No! Of course we're not married! It's only been a few months!"_

"_Is that so? Well then, it's awfully bold of you to already be living together. Haven't you at least thought about it? She's the perfect compliment to a meek and unassuming dumbass like you."_

"_H-Hey! I've never done anything like this before, okay? Stop trying to rush things between us!_

"_She helps you run your business too, right? I didn't know you were into those 'hot secretary' types. Those are hard to come by - better make your move soon pal."_

"_I said stop it!"_

So long as I was able to avoid any chances for Flynn to tease me into oblivion, which I failed to do numerous times, I really was enjoying our time together. I missed having our "guy talks". There were some things that couldn't be brought up with the opposite gender, yet I had no trouble bringing it up to a fellow male. Maple has certainly been a welcome addition to my life, but she was a girl, and even Flynn isn't completely sure what goes through their minds. Either way, my knowledge and experience paled in comparison to his, and I tried to ask for his advice, or at least I was about to.

Maple came back right at that moment, and she was not only drunk, but _excessively _drunk. Her rosy complexion and clumsy footwork were dead giveaways. I was too engrossed into our conversation to notice her presence until she suddenly yelled out something explicit, pressed herself onto my back, and groped me. I flared up as a result and made a desperate attempt to pry her off me, but all she did as a response was reattach herself onto me and smother me with kisses. The next, agonizing couple of minutes were spent trying in vain to return her to her senses and wondering how I hadn't died out of embarrassment. Then her black-rimmed glasses fell off because of her erratic movement, which caused her to whine and grip me even tighter. It was a miracle that I managed to put her optics back on to pacify her before I suffocated.

I called to Flynn for help, but all the assistance he was willing to offer was a shake of his head and a goofy grin. He even scooted his chair a few inches away from us and reclined so he could enjoy the spectacle. I couldn't even manage a glare at him before Maple started whining again, but this time she was complaining about how much she wanted to go home, which didn't sound like a bad idea at the time. Nearby patrons were beginning to notice the scene she was making, and I wasn't going to stick around long enough to see if the pub owner was going to tolerate the disturbance. I excused myself to Flynn and left the premises as fast as I could with a giggling Leafeon on my back. I was under the impression that keeping an inebriated Pokémon in a controlled environment and monitoring them until they were sober was the logical thing to do. I got to see Maple's drunk persona while doing so, though I was never curious about it in the first place. The good news was that I learned that she becomes extremely clingy and completely lacks inhibition. The bad news was that I was alone with a girl who was extremely clingy and completely lacks inhibition.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure I asked for what happened _after_ you left." The Flareon said in a passive-aggressive tone, and probably tapping one of his hind legs impatiently.

"I'm getting to that." I muttered, disappointed that I couldn't stall anymore. I tried to plan out my next words carefully, but the more I thought about it, the more I started to panic. "I-I don't know what happened!" I blurted out. "She just wouldn't stay in one place! I told her to calm down but she wouldn't and then she was on top of me and-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! T-M-I dude!" He lunged across the table between us and waved a paw at me to get my attention. My eyes went wide in shock at his reaction, but then I breathed out a sigh of relief when I interpreted it as a sign that I could finally stop talking. He threw his back onto his back-seat support and respired heavily too. "Arceus, I can't believe after all this time I've spent trying to get you laid, it finally happens, just like that, and I didn't even have to do anything!"

I grimaced, "_That's_ what you're surprised about?"

The fire-type ignored me and pretended to wipe imaginary tears off his face, "My boy's all grown up… I'm so proud." He tried to say emotionally.

I didn't bother to hide my embarrassment anymore. "C-Cut it out! This isn't funny!"

He dropped his facade and replaced it with a snarky grin. "C'mon, shouldn't you be showing some more enthusiasm? Don't you want to talk about how you got to see another side of her?.. or should I say, the _inside _of her?"

It was times like these that I regretted being a Leafeon, as the leafy sprout on my forehead made my face indistinguishable to a tomato. "Please just stop it already!" I begged. "I… we didn't go that far…"

One of his ears twitched. "Oh, that's kind of a letdown, but from the way you're fidgeting, is it safe to say that something still happened?" His grin grew wider when I was blushing an even darker crimson. "Care to share what it was?"

"I-I'm not going to describe it to you!" I clamored defensively. Flynn didn't flinch at my raised intonation, meaning that I had to give some sort of answer to satisfy him. I groaned and hid my face with my paws. "… I still haven't done it before, okay? That's all I'm willing to tell you."

"_Tch._ Yes you have." He laughed, "Don't tell me you've forgotten the first time we went out together."

My stomach churned. "Wait, weren't you just making that up? I-It isn't true, right?"

"The Espeon would say otherwise." The orange eeveelution boasted as he took a swig of water from his cup and slammed it a bit too harshly onto the table. "You should've seen the look on her face when I came to drag your ass outta there! She was on your corpse and was just about to-"

"Okay, okay, I believe you!" I groaned out helplessly. I felt so hot that I could've sworn I could hear the sizzling of the moisture in the air being evaporated off my head. "... Why did you have to remind me?" I muttered with my face planted on the wooden furniture. If we weren't inside of a family diner right now, I would be scrambling to hide in a bush or something.

"Err... maybe I shouldn't have brought that up… _but_, on the bright side, you could argue that it doesn't count." He lamented, voice containing a hint of sympathy. "You were passed out through-and-through, so there was no way you could have remembered it, which means you don't have _experience_, therefore, you are indeed still a virgin!"

I lifted my head up to show him my unamused expression. "That's not what I'm worried about."

He met my gaze with a frown. "Then what are you being such a killjoy about?"

I fell silent for a while before I answered. "I just don't feel right at all."

""Give me a break man, you don't need to worry about that." He leaned back nonchalantly with his forepaws behind his head. "What you're going through right now is one-hundred percent natural - you'll learn to get used to it. Honestly, I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner, and I mean like, a _lot _sooner."

"You're not helping." I grumbled. "And how am I going to get used to it? I feel terrible!"

"You could also try talking about it." The Flareon shrugged. "Let it out of your system and all that, but you pushed me away earlier, so…"

"W-Wait, just hear me out for one more second." I caved with a sigh. I looked out through the restaurant's large window pane and observed the Pokémon walking past the diner, which was a much better alternative than looking at the victorious smirk on the Flareon's face. "I don't know what to do, Flynn... I can't stop thinking about it." I confessed, trying my hardest not to lull myself into another daydream. "I shouldn't, but…" I reclined into a more comfortable position and ran a paw through my scalp. "I can't stop myself and… and… oh my god, it was just... _incredible_."

"Yeah, sounds about right." His eyes narrowed at me. "Now I'm confused. Are you, or are you not a virgin?"

Cue the red face, again. This is what I get for pouring my heart out to Flynn. "I-I said I don't know! How am I supposed to know if it qualifies?"

"What do you mean _'qualify'_? You either did it or you didn't." He guffawed. "What the _hell _did you two do last night?"

"S-Shut up!" I spat. "We are done talking about this!"

"Fine, be that way." He crossed his arms, but then gave me a look, like he was about to make one final attempt. "Is it safe to say that this little venture of yours turned out to be one, big, _eye opener_?"

I tried to make up a retort, but this time, the words were held at the tip of my tongue. "Uhh…"

"Don't be shy about admitting it pal. It'd be more concerning if you weren't feeling this way." He went on. "This shouldn't even be up for debate. She's your girlfriend for crying out loud! You should be thankful that she's been merciful to you for so long." He exhaled heavily and took another sip of his drink. "Why are you even guilty about all this. You gotta start thinking about how you're going to take the initiative before she does."

"W-What?!" I stuttered. I did not expect to cover this much ground at such an alarming rate, and I was definitely not prepared to tread on new territories. "Can't I focus on my own problem first?"

"Didn't I just tell you to not worry about it?"

"That's not something I can do overnight!" I rebutted sharply. "And no, I'm referring to something else. Maple doesn't remember what happened and she keeps asking me!"

"What kind of problem is that?" The fire-type said with raised brows, still sounding unconvinced. "Just leave out that one little mishap and you'll be fine."

"I've already tried that, and she doesn't believe me. She thinks I did something to her."

"And what makes her say that?"

I felt hot again. I've been flustered so many times today that I feared I was becoming delusional. "I… don't want to talk about it..."

"Well, that's not a good sign." He shook his head in a disappointed manner. "Must mean you're screwed up _bad_. Might as well save yourself a few gray hairs and tell her the truth at this point."

"But i-it's embarrassing!"

"Hey man, I'm not the one who can't handle drunk girls properly." He mocked. "You've dug yourself a hole so deep that a Dugtrio would be impressed." He whistled to call for a waiter before I could refute him, so I stifled my retort into a grumble and wondered why I thought meeting with Flynn was a good idea. "Don't be so glum about it. This is a lot better than you think. You're finally beginning to see her in a different light. It's only fair that she should know that too." Maybe there was some truth to that statement, but he failed to realize that I didn't have an ounce of his brazenness to go along with something like that. His expression became visibly concerned when I didn't react to his comment. "Oh c'mon, think of it this way: what if Maple _wanted_ you to do something to her? Might be why she got herself so hammered in the first place."

I shifted uncomfortably. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Just giving you some food for thought." Flynn conversed briefly with the waiter he summoned about ordering two more savory blends "_for the road"_. The way my ears perked up and my tail wagged around made it obvious that I overheard him; hopefully he won't take that as a sign of discouragement. He waited for the server to leave before speaking again. "Like I said before, you can never be too sure what goes through a woman's mind."

I huffed and sprawled my arms out on the table, trying to make the most of the last few minutes of respite before I had to head back home. "... Girls are scary."

"Now you're getting it." He praised suddenly, unfazed when I looked at him quizzically. "And they're even scarier when they're in groups."

* * *

So far, Flynn has taken me out for lunch at the Sunkern Café everyday during his stay at Floridity. It was unlike him to be inviting me so frequently. Back in Cradle, he's usually thoughtful enough to give me at least a few days for my social batteries to recharge, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt since it really has been far too long since we last saw each other, and I wasn't going to say no to free milkshakes, even if it meant enduring more of his typical whims while trying to hold a serious discussion with him.

"_You gotta do something about your milkshake obsession. It loosens your lips better than alcohol."_

"_What's with your obsession with Joy then?"_

"_Hmm, touché my friend."_

It was fine with me, as I also needed an excuse to stay away from home when Maple was there. I've worked up the nerve to ask Flynn for his advice on how I should combat this malady, several times in fact, because I got more desperate with each passing day, but he always responded with indifference or went completely off-topic.

"_I've been thinking about having a back-up plan in case I get screwed over one day. You may have gotten off easy, but the world of business and marketing is full of competition and uncertainties."_

"_Umm… I was asking you about-"_

"_Say, have you got any job openings? Knowing that I've got a place to fall back on would save me a lot of stress."_

"_Actually, now that you mention it, I could use some help on making deliveries."_

"_Pffft_. _You know I was just kidding, right? I mean I appreciate the offer, but it looks like you've got a history of sleeping with your employees. Don't get me wrong, you're cool and all, but I'm not looking to add to your body count. Sorry buddy."_

"_W-What? I-I don't… I didn't…"_

I was left to fend for myself, but miraculously, I was able to keep Maple in the dark about what actually happened that one night. It was a lot easier than I initially feared, due to how she seems to have drawn up her own conclusions in the meantime. I have been acting a lot more sheepish around her recently, among other things, so I had unintentionally given her a bunch of misleading evidence for her to satisfy her curiosity. Even though she has stopped bringing it up, I wouldn't put it past her to mention it again in the distant future, but it's probably still the best outcome I could hope for. Now I just had to tackle one more thing.

From an objective point of view, there's nothing I should be stressing about at all. Maple, so long as she isn't intoxicated, has acted as she always does, and living under the same roof with her has proved to be largely beneficial to both our working efficiency and our lives in general. My daily routines are as normal as it can be during the winter, and it's ironically the season where I can relax and sunbathe as often as I'd like, since it rarely drops to temperatures lower than what a furry mammal can't handle. Nothing has changed except me. I used to be able to converse with her normally, and even though I did get a little anxious when we first started dating, I recovered soon enough, but now I can't be in the same room with her for longer than a second without feeling like my heart is going to jump out of my throat. I thought all my worries were over after the whole stalker incident, and here I am being bothered by something that seems so trivial.

_Maybe I am being obnoxious._

Maple has also been going out a lot with her friends recently. It would explain why she comes home late in the afternoon, or sometimes even later. She's technically still on holiday break, so I don't see anything wrong with spending it with the neighbors and her other friends, nor am I going to complain, since her extended absence gives me some breathing room in between dealing with her morning and evening personalities. I wouldn't last for very long otherwise. She's always been quite skilled at getting me flustered when she wants to, but in my current state, everyday would be a field day for the opportunistic female.

It's been a tradition of mine to collapse onto my living room couch after an honest day's work, and once upon a time, Maple decided to pounce on the moment by snuggling up beside me, claiming that her "_mandatory cuddle sessions" _were the cure to my fatigue - and she was right. Since then, she began doing it when the situation seemed to call for it, or whenever she felt like it, in other words. It took awhile for me to get used to the several-hour-long annihilations of personal space, but I learned to welcome it after I learned how easy it was to fall asleep when I was hugging her like a Teddiursa plush doll. Nowadays, I'm always wide awake when she's embracing me and too paralyzed to return the gesture. She has undoubtedly taken notice of my change in behavior, yet she continues to burrow her head into my neck and whisper into my ear anyway.

I _know _that Maple is up to something. The worst part is that I can't do anything about it; I'm stuck waiting for whenever she decides to play one of her cards. She already showed what she is capable of just yesterday when she brought not one, but two unexpected visitors to our abode without telling me. It was a jump scare in every bit of the term. I was drinking some of Maple's homemade tea that she always makes for me, and I nearly made a fatal mistake when I answered the door with a mouthful of it. I don't know how I managed to choke it down instead of spewing it out onto the Espeon's face, but it would've been an early trip to the grave if I hadn't. I was unable to determine whether I was surprised that Joy was here, or that she seemed to be emitting an atmosphere pertaining to her namesake. Even though her smile was not nearly as warm as Maple's, it was still disorientating to see this new side of her. Regardless, it was the first time I had seen Joy since the end of spring, so it wouldn't have left the greatest impression if I made her an accidental victim of a spit-take.

Joy didn't react at all as I was having a coughing fit. It was after I finished gagging that I noticed the other visitor that stood behind Maple. The second I made eye-contact with the Sylveon, she squeaked out an adorable "_eep!" _and frantically averted her gaze towards her left, then the sky, and then the ground. I stared at her curiously, both piqued by her apprehensiveness and the feeling that I had seen her before. I barely caught the slight movement that Joy was making with her elbow, nudging the unresponsive fairy-type. It was once she did it little more forcefully that the Sylveon jumped, bellowed out an apology, and extended one of her ribbon-like appendages towards me. It loosely wrapped around my neck for a couple milliseconds before they were retracted away. Then the Sylveon bowed her head and hastily exclaimed another request for forgiveness, before promptly making a mad dash towards anywhere but where she was currently. The whole series of events happened so quickly that I was more confused than alarmed, but that still wasn't the end of it. The red gem on Joy's forehead shimmered as she anticipated the outcome and stopped the fleeing eeveelution in her tracks. The Sylveon glowed a blue aura as she was lifted up in the air and floated towards her original position. She whimpered out another "_sorry…"_ and hung her head low, favoring silence from then on. Afterwards, Maple diverted my attention away from the duo behind her by pecking me on the muzzle and stating that she simply wanted to drop by to say hello, and with that accomplished, left with her two pink companions trailing after her. My eyes followed them with a dumbfounded gawk until they were gone, though watching the girl still being suspended in midair made me shiver involuntarily.

The whole encounter lasted for less than a minute, but even now I'm still trying to comprehend what had transpired. Maple claimed ignorance about the event when I asked her this morning, including the part where she left me speechless in front of her friends. It would be ridiculous for her to forget what had occurred just yesterday, so I wasn't buying it. She maintained her playful demeanor throughout my interrogation, seeming delighted at the fact that she knew that _I_ _knew_ that she was messing with me. I couldn't stare at her for too long without getting bashful, so she got off easily in the end, regrettably.

"_You remember Stella, right? She's been on the Florid campus every time I showed you around."_

"_She's here too? How come I've never seen her?"_

"_You too, huh? Joy said she's an easy character to miss, for some reason." _

* * *

Today marks the second week since my mental image of Maple has been permanently shattered. Maple had to leave earlier than she usually does, and Flynn's agenda was filled up as well, so I couldn't pass the afternoon with him to take my mind off certain things. I probably needed to take a break from all the milkshakes I've consumed this month anyway, so having the day all to myself wasn't a huge downside.

I had a lot of time contemplating how to control my nerves around Maple. The bits and pieces of guidance I've pried out of Flynn hasn't done me much good, not that I can interpret them anyway. The incessant pacing around my room hasn't been very productive of me either. I used to be able to keep my mind off her as long as I kept myself busy, but recently, I couldn't even water my berry crops before I'm suddenly barraged by dozens of unwanted flashbacks of the night that was supposed to be a fun little reunion with an old friend. I finally got around to fashioning myself a new hammock so I could relax more comfortably in my garden, but even that wasn't good enough to ward off my memory spasms. The feeling has worsened to the point where my incompetency to nap evolved into a total inability to get any shuteye at all. Falling into a deep slumber is like second nature to me, so for an ailment to be powerful enough to take away such a skill is no laughing matter. I would go as far as to say that it's the greatest insult of all time.

_Just when I was starting to get used to living with her too…_

Things are going to be different, once and for all. I had a plan that was going to be executed tonight. It's honestly a wonder that I didn't come up with this idea any sooner. Flynn would probably berate me for not even considering it until now. About one or two months ago, Maple gave me a what I assumed to be a gag gift, as part of her many pranks she's pulled on me. I suspected that this "gift" in particular was meant to be used in one of her longer running jokes that can span over a week, or even longer, but she has yet to follow up, so I guess the little trinket she has bestowed me with was just a "one-and-done" sort of thing, but little did she know that it was going to be my saving grace for tonight, and likely for any future situations. I'm ashamed to have to resort to something like this, but I can't afford another restless night. Maple would worry if my physical condition starts to take a hit, and I don't want her to fuss about something so silly.

Before she left, the happy-go-lucky Leafeon informed me that I should expect her to come home extremely late. I would usually stay awake until she returns, but my state of lethargy was going to make that difficult, and if she means to be back past midnight, then it would be downright impossible. Staying up at such a late hour is an extraordinarily rare occurrence for me, so being awake when Maple gets home would give her an immediate cause for concern. The deadline was to fall asleep before that happens.

The principles behind my grand scheme to accomplish such a task was quite simple. All this time I've been trying to suppress the sudden recollections of the night that threw me into this downward spiral. My efforts have proved to be overwhelmingly futile, but what if I were to just embrace these emotions and let it run its course? Maybe if I indulge myself this one time and allow these feelings to manifest until they're satisfied, I can finally be at peace.

_It's just crazy enough to work._

All I needed to do was fish out the key component out of its hiding spot and put this plan into action. I concealed it amongst a stack of blank papers that I had in my bedside drawer. I used to hide my journal in there as well, but I had to retire it to a new location after a certain nosey individual found it. One would think that I would abandon my hideaway after it's been compromised, but it actually makes it even better. They'd assume that only an idiot would use the same spot over and over, so they wouldn't bother to look there again. I should pat myself on the back for my cleverness.

The prospect of getting a full night's rest made me giddy. Fueled by such excitement, I slid open the drawer and withdrew the stack of papers inside, but the item I was looking for was nowhere to be found.

At first, my brow furrowed at the predicament. I sifted through the papers again, thinking that I must have skimmed past it, then I went through each sheet one-by-one. An increasingly hollow sensation was made apparent in my gut as the pile got smaller and smaller. I took one step closer to insanity by carefully going through the stack once more, this time inspecting the front and back of each to make absolutely sure, but again, I came out with nothing. I breathed deeply and rubbed my temple, trying my best to remain calm. Rationalizing that I simply had a case of bad memory, I performed another search through my drawer. I tend to keep all my most personal possessions in my nightstand, so there shouldn't have been any other place that I could have put it. It felt like the world was falling apart around me as I rummaged through my drawer with rising ferocity.

"Looking for something?"

I shouted and spun around, and my face went pale when I saw Maple's head peeking out of the doorway. A quick glance out my bedroom window revealed that it was merely dusk outside. "Mab- Maple! What are you doing here?" I hollered, slamming my drawer shut.

"Coming to see you, of course." She said politely, entering my chambers on hind legs, arms behind her back.

"N-No, I mean, weren't you supposed to be back by midnight?"

"Yeah, I did say that." The khaki eeveelution confirmed, still retaining an innocent smile. "But I thought you might be lonely, so I finished up my errands and went home as fast as I could!"

"But we see eachother everyday." I noted in a quizzical tone, "Why would I be lonely?"

"C'mon Milo, can't you just accept my company? I want to spend some time with you!" She stepped towards me and leaned forward in an endearing fashion. "Don't you know what today is?"

Darn, Flynn warned me about questions like these. Too bad I don't pay much attention to the calendar. "Umm… is it your birthday?"

Wrong answer. The frown she had said it all. "Nevermind." She said with a shake of her head, resulting in her having to readjust her glasses. "Anyway, you didn't even address my question earlier. What were you looking for?"

"N-Nothing." I gulped, "It's fine."

"Are you sure about that? You looked _super_ concentrated on finding it. You didn't even hear me come in." The Leafeon mused.

"Err, how long have you been watching me?" I asked warily, heart racing.

"Enough to see how distraught you were. Did it mean a lot to you?"

"I-It was nothing." I insisted. "Don't worry about it."

"You know that's when I worry the most, right?" She sighed, but then returned to her perky expression. "But you're right. I won't be needing to worry about a thing. I think I've found something that may be _very _important to you!"

_Wait, "found"? Did she..?_

My face colored at an alarming rate, and I stumbled backwards when she began closing the distance between us. How did it take me this long to realize that Maple was hiding something behind her back? "Wait. Wait! It's not what it looks like! I swear!" I let out rapidly.

"What are you talking about?" Her head canted to one side, still steadily approaching me.

I pressed up against the wall with my paws waving feverishly in front of me. "I'm sorry Maple! I'm sorry! I-I've just been thinking about you a lot lately, a-and I got carried away. I didn't mean to-"

"Happy new year!"

"Huh?.. Oh..." The puzzlement I had was insurmountable when I saw Maple holding out a rectangular package, encased in a generic gift wrap. "Oh…"

"Surprised you, didn't I?" Maple chirped. "Sounded like we were on completely different wavelengths."

"Y-Yeah..." I agreed coyly. I stared blankly at the present before awkwardly taking it off her paws. It was about the size of a school textbook, except it was significantly lighter. "I forgot that it was new year's."

"It will be in a couple hours." She conceded, "Today's new year's eve."

"Oh, r-right..." I nodded spacily.

"... Well? Don't just stand there. Open it!"

I flinched so hard that I nearly dropped the gift before complying. Beneath the festive shell was a qualitative white cardboard box, and inside was a neatly folded and dark, gunmetal gray scarf. "Is this…?"

"Yep!" She beamed. "It's not the exact same one, but this was custom-made just for you at a local boutique. When I was out with some friends last month, I saw some of their samples and I knew I just _had _to get one for you!"

"Oh, wow… umm…" I dragged a paw up and down the plushy fabric. It really did feel like it was crafted by an expert tailor. The material was so sleek and velvety that I wondered if water would slide right off it. "Is this what you've been up to?"

"You don't have to make it sound so sinister..." She giggled and punched me lightly on the shoulder. "But yes, I wanted it to be a surprise. And before you ask, I did bring Stella over the other day so she could take your measurements. Sorry that it was so weird, but I wanted this to come out perfect!"

_I have a feeling that she didn't volunteer to take on such a task._

"That's… great." I mumbled, feeling tongue-tied.

She looked up at me expectantly, eyes sparkling. "Speechless, are you? Does that mean you like it?"

"Maple…" My voice trailed. She spared me a moment of silence to wait for my response. It was in that brief period that my surprise at this sudden turn of events shifted towards disbelief. Shouldn't Maple know more than anybody else about how I felt about this? I assumed there was an unspoken agreement between us, but now... "Is this a joke?"

Her brow furrowed automatically. "A joke? What makes you think this a joke?"

I fumbled with the box in question. Normally, I would feel timid right about now, if not already. Instead, I was getting increasingly irritated. "Well, what's this scarf supposed to be then?"

"To remind you of when you were a hero, silly! I thought you might miss those days."

"It's kind of the opposite, actually." I tried to say gingerly, but it came out as blunt. "I'm sorry, Maple, but I can't accept this. These are memories I don't want to relive."

The grass eeveelution looked down at the ground, ears drooped. "But I don't want you to forget..."

"Why should I remember them? I was never what you thought I was. I was just a coward hiding behind a scarf like this." I never realized how much my body was vibrating as I spoke those words.

"That's not true at all and you know it!" She declared sternly. "We made lots of fond memories at Cradle, with and without the scarf! You can't just push those all away!"

"You wouldn't understand." I looked down towards the floor and gestured for her to take the white parcel back. "There's nothing to gain from remembering how dumb I was."

"You're being dumb right now!" She yelled suddenly and foisted the gift onto my chest, effectively sandwiching me between the wall I was backed up against and herself. "How could you say something like that? Dozens of Pokemon owe you their lives! _I _owe you my life!"

"You don't owe me anything, so just stop, okay?" I gritted my teeth and shoved the present back into her arms. "I don't want to see this stupid scarf ever again!"

Maple gasped, and her face contorted as she tried in vain to hold back her tears. My frustration immediately dissipated when I processed what just came out of my mouth. I tried to speak again, but she threw the present at my face before I could say anything, then slapped me for good measure. "Idiot!" She screamed. I looked back at her in shock, only to find that she was already storming out of my room. I reached out as if I could stop her, but that hope dashed out fast when she slammed the door harshly. A similar noise followed soon after, likely coming from her room.

I ruffled my head before squeezing it like a vice, trying to comprehend the sheer magnitude of trouble that I had gotten myself into.

_Dugtrios are going to start to worship me at this rate…_

I stared at my door for quite a long while, trying to formulate a plan on how to get myself out of this colossal mess. At first I figured I should apologize right away, and I stepped out of my room and over to Maple's, but I stopped myself right before I was about to knock. I thought I'd hear some semblance of crying, but the house was dead quiet, and I don't know if that was a good or bad thing. I considered the possibility of a second door-slam that I heard being the one that led outside, but a slight turn of the knob on Maple's door revealed that it was locked. I exhaled and padded back to my room to reevaluate my mental drawing board. A hearty yawn reminded me of my tiredness, but sleep was an impossibility now, more so than it already was.

I had a whole night ahead of me, along with a very conflicted conscience. Now would be an excellent time to do what I wanted to do an hour prior, where I was nervous around Maple for an entirely different reason, but to say the mood has been ruined would be a major understatement. What I had to worry about now paled in comparison. Perhaps this is karma for fretting over something so frivolous.

Hoping to stave off boredom for just a little while longer, I performed a quick survey of my room for any source of entertainment. I immediately took notice of the white cardboard container and its spilled contents on the ground. Curiosity overrode my hesitance and I picked up the dark colored neck ornament, unfurling it as I did so. Maple wasn't lying when she said it wasn't a complete replica, in fact the only similarity was the color, everything else was an alteration. The difference in length was considerable. It was short enough for me to stand on all fours and not worry about having the leftover scarf area touch the ground - a far cry from my old one. It was also entirely composed of wool, rather than cotton, meaning it would be more difficult to breath through, though it does also mean it will do its job better at keeping my neck warm. The last, and arguably the most prominent variation, was of my name being embroidered onto one of the ends of it. I couldn't resist the urge to run a paw across the golden-thread lettering.

"Oh Maple…" I murmured.

When I gathered up the nerve to wrap it around my neck, I didn't feel anything at all.

* * *

"Maple? Are you awake yet?" I knocked on her door anxiously. "I made you some breakfast!" I stood silently until the bowl of hot Mago Berry soup began to tremble in my paws due to fatigue. I discovered her adoration for my mother's recipes when we went on our second camping trip a while ago, but maybe it was insensitive of me to try to take advantage of that. "I… err… I'll just leave it in the kitchen." I waited a few more minutes for a reply that never came. I could neither see nor hear her, yet I was feeling terribly out of place. "I'm going to step out for a little bit, so… um, make sure to eat up, okay?" I listened for another quiet handful of minutes before finally relenting with a sigh. "I guess I'll be going now, so uhh… happy new year?"

I felt awful for leaving Maple home alone, but the climate was getting so inhospitable that getting fresh air was a necessity. The streets were surprisingly crowded in the early morning. Usually only bird and nocturnal Pokémon would be out and about, but I guess everyone is busy getting a head-start preparing for today's festivities. Flynn had plans to see someone today as well, and even if he didn't, he was probably still asleep at this hour, both of which meant that he was unavailable when I needed him most. Oh well. I simply needed to clear my mind anyway. A short stroll should suffice while I brainstorm, so I allowed my subconscious to direct my meandering.

I couldn't determine if it was ironic or not that my innermost thoughts led me towards the Sunkern Café. My body must be begging for something energizing, as Maple obviously wasn't going to be in the mood to make any of her trademark tea. Perhaps I'll come across a fellow insomniac inside, and we could talk about our shortcomings over a nice hot cappuccino. It'd be like we were destined to meet and become friends. It was a weird thought indeed, but I've been in stranger circumstances with a certain Flareon, so what harm could it be to have a little optimism?

I entered the family diner and eagerly scanned the interior. Despite thee not being a whole lot of Pokémon here, I was beholden with a peculiar sight. One of the patrons sitting at one of the tables right next to the entrance noticed me walk in and waved broadly.

"Milo! I knew I'd find you here. Come, have a seat!" The Espeon beckoned with a friendly smile.

_Abort! Abort!_

"Uhh… I gotta go." I said hastily.

"Please, I insist!" She leaned forward with her elbows on the table and her paws supporting her chin, grinning all the way. "Care for a nice little chat?"

Her disposition didn't come off as hostile, but I sensed impending doom if I were to decline her offer. "... I guess."

Her forked-tail swished aimlessly behind her when I pulled the chair in front of her and placed my rear onto it, sitting cross-legged. "I see you're wearing the scarf Maple gave you."

Bringing attention to the accessory made me realize how difficult it was to breath with how tightly I had it wrapped around me, and I tugged on it to loosen it a bit. "Y-Yeah, I am."

"Aren't you afraid you'll get recognized with that on?"

"Sorta, but it's not a big deal anymore." I played with one of the ends of the cloth strip, marveling at its suppleness. "Maple put a lot of work into it, so I thought I'd try it on."

"How sweet." Joy praised while taking turns brandishing the eating utensils set before her. She seemed particularly fascinated with the table knife. "Did you tell her that last night too?"

She was unfazed when I almost fell off my seat. "W-What? How do you know about that?"

"She kept me up all night at my dorm." She clarified with an inkling of resentment. "Imagine my surprise when I heard she was crying about _you_. I believe it is your job to comfort her, not mine."

I gawked at her explanation. "Wait, you mean she was never at home? How? Her room was locked from the inside!" I didn't want to believe I was just talking to a door before I left.

"Sounds like she didn't want you to follow her. I bet she climbed out a window or something." The lavender-furred eeveelution stated like it was obvious.

_Why didn't I think of that?_

"W-Where is she now?" I pressed, praying that I wasn't pushing my luck. "Is she still somewhere on campus?"

"She fell asleep a couple hours ago, so maybe she's still in my dorm." She crossed her arms at my excitement. "Are you worried about her?"

"Of course I am! I said horrible things to her!" I felt my body stiffen, prompting me to loosen up a little. If what Joy said was true that Maple was safe, then I suppose I can afford to relax. "I really do feel bad about what I did."

She began twirling the straw in her empty glass of latte. It reminded me that I hadn't ordered my own yet. "I would hope that is the case. You do remember what I said about making her sad again, right?"

Forget relaxing. "Uhh…"

"Such a shame." She halted her stirring in favor of flashing a disarming smile at me. "It appears you still haven't learned your lesson yet."

"H-Hold on! Can't you bail me out just this once? I didn't mean to make her cry!"

"Why, I'm being merciful to you right now. Today is the new year, so I thought it would be fun to discuss what your punishment should be."

_You call that fun?!_

"How is that being merciful?" I sputtered. "Didn't you say you wanted things to start over between us?"

"Nice try, but that doesn't apply here. You can't expect to hurt a girl's feelings and get away with it." She countered in a chirpy manner that showed that she was clearly enjoying herself. "You can walk out anytime, but that would mean that I get to come up with a penalty all by myself." Then she gave me a sly and suggestive look. "How's your groin feeling, by the way?"

My heart sank with despair, and I face planted onto the table with a groan. I should've known that my fate was sealed long before this conversation began. All I could do now was perform damage control. "... What did you have in mind?" I asked tiredly.

"I'm pleased to hear your cooperation." The psychic beamed, "I think we should start with-"

"That's enough teasing for today, Joy." A voice chimed. My ears twitched at the introduction of a third speaker, and I turned around to look pleadingly at my possible savior. Instead I got the urge to bolt away when I saw who it was, but my tendency to be glued on the spot when in fright worked against me. Old habits die hard.

Joy was taken aback, surprised as I was to see a female Leafeon standing rather imposingly beside her, who adjusted her nerd-optics in a way that somehow came off as threatening. Joy's stunned expression quickly morphed into a pout. "Aww, we were just getting to the best part."

"Sure it was." Maple said primly, then clasped her paws together and put on a charming demeanor. "But Milo has a very busy day ahead of him, and he needs to come home right away." She turned to me. "Isn't that right?"

"Umm… I still need to get some coffee." I responded timidly, not fully understanding what was going on.

"Isn't that _right,_ Milo?" She repeated, kicking one of my legs under the table.

I sat up a bit straighter. "I-I mean, I do!"

Satisfied, she turned her attention back to Joy. "And I believe you have matters to attend to as well. I know you've arranged to see someone on this special day, shouldn't you be with them instead of fooling around here?"

The remark made the Espeon blush profusely, suggesting that such information was meant to be kept confidential. She looked like she was about to protest, but, unable to maintain her composure, resigned and stood up to do as she was told. "I-I believe you are right, M-Maple. Thank you for reminding me." She tried to say gracefully, even pushing in her seat, but her stammer made it all fall apart. I didn't even know was possible for her to stutter. "I'll leave you two lovebirds to celebrate on your own time."

Unaffected by the jab, Maple smirked and waved goodbye to her friend. "We will do just that, and I hope the same happens to you too!" She returned happily, causing Joy to redden even more, and she hurried out the diner before it got worse. With her gone, Maple redirected her smile towards me. "So, ready to go?"

"Umm… yeah."

_No caffeine for me..._

* * *

The walk back to my house was littered with unrest. Fortunately, I wasn't as jittery around her anymore, but it came at a cost. I had just witnessed two apex predators arguing over their captured prey, and while the preferred adversary won, they were still a predator. I had a dreadful feeling that Maple was merely hiding her resentment towards me, and she was probably going to let me have once we got home. I thought I could wait for her to say something so I could get a rough idea of what she was planning, but the silence was excruciating. I resorted to breaking the ice myself before it got any thicker. "Erm… thanks for saving me."

My sudden speech startled her, but she quickly regained her cheerfulness. "You're welcome! I had a feeling you were there when I found you weren't home."

_Does everyone assume I'm at the Café?_

I chuckled nervously. "Yeah, you came right before it got crazy."

"Joy means well." She sighed. "She's not a bad Pokémon."

"I-If you say so." I still have my own reservations, but I can't deny that she has known Joy far longer than I have. Maybe I'll try to look past the Espeon's terrifying exterior, as long as I have Maple for a bodyguard, of course. "… How much did you manage to hear anyway?"

"Enough." She giggled at her own crypticness. "I guess that means I'm your hero for today, huh?"

"Yeah." I forced out a laugh. "So uhh… does that mean you're not mad at me?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I could never stay mad at you for long." The relief I felt after hearing her was almost crushing, though I didn't fail to catch the drop in her tone. She stole a glance at the dark gray scarf around my neck. "... But you don't have to force yourself to wear it, you know."

"I-I'm not." I muttered. "I actually like it a lot. This is the nicest thing anyone has done for me."

"... You think so?" Her eyes began to sparkle once more. "Tell me _exactly _what you think of it."

"Well, for starters, this has got to be the softest thing I've ever touched. I don't think I'll ever want to take it off!" I proclaimed proudly. Maybe I was exaggerating, maybe I wasn't. All I knew was that I had to sound convincing in order to cheer her up. "It really isn't at all like my old one, and I appreciate that. I can't believe I got the wrong idea at first. I don't know what came over me that made me think you were trying to make fun of me."

"Why would I do that?" She leered.

I shrugged. "I always thought it was embarrassing that I was imitating what I saw in a comic book - it's a touchy subject, is what I'm saying."

"Yeah, I figured that." She rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "... But there's more to it, is there? I've never seen you get so angry before."

"I…" I paused, attempting to steel my nerves. When I found that it couldn't be achieved, I resumed my trot. "No. That was it."

"Oh, but there is." Maple briefly ran ahead and stopped in front of me, forcing me to halt. She batted her beady eyes at me. "It's okay, Milo. You can tell me."

My eyes glowered at her, but then dropped my head down when I couldn't find it in myself to protest. "I ran away. And I abandoned everyone." I began unsteadily, trying to gather the courage to speak my mind. "I abandoned you, and I hurt you so much. You suffered for months on end while I was living a cushy life in Floridity. I've never been able to forgive myself." My voice quivered. "I'm so sorry, Maple."

"You don't have to apologize for that. It all worked out in the end." She reached out to place a tender paw on my cheek. "I forgive you."

"But what if you never found me?" I argued passionately, not caring that tears were welling up. " Joy told me about how hard it was. You would've never recovered!"

Her arm retracted due to her astonishment. "Joy said that? When did that happen?"

My face darkened. "It's still true, isn't it?"

She frowned, but thankfully didn't decide to delve any further into her previous question. "Those are just a bunch of hypotheticals. It's all in the past now."

"No it's not!" I grunted. "Don't you hate me for putting you through so much pain?"

All Maple did was just stand there, unshaken by my admittedly antagonizing tone. She stared blankly at me, confused even. "Why would I hate you when you've brought so much happiness into my life?" She asked sincerely. I staggered, more than a bit awed by what I just heard. I swear her figure was shining too, but maybe I was just going crazy. I ended up gawking at her for too long, and she became frightened when I couldn't form up any words in time to answer her. "Do you hate me?"

"N-No." I quickly managed, scrambling to wipe my eyes, both to rid the tears that had accumulated and to make completely sure my vision wasn't playing tricks on me. She was still radiating an aura that I could not fathom trying to describe. "No. I-I don't."

"You're not?" She smiled brightly when I nodded as fast I could. "I'm so glad."

"Uhh… yeah, me too." I said uncomfortably. This exchange has exhausted me, though that could just be my lack of sleep and caffeine talking.

The tan eeveelution trailed after me when I huffed and continued walking. My pace turned brisk once I noticed that our house was in sight from where we were. "I never knew it bothered you so much. It's sweet of you to care." She added thoughtfully.

I smiled at her, but still didn't say anything. I think that was her cue to get me to talk next, but I didn't get the memo, resulting in another round of quietness. I did take advantage of the opportunity for some self-reflection.

"Okay… moving on then." She matched my tempo and brushed up against my side. "You _are _free today, right?"

"Apparently I'm busy, according to you." I replied coolly.

She snorted. "I'll take that as a yes."

By then, we finally reached the house. "So, what are we doing today?" I inquired as I unlocked the front door and motioned for her to come inside.

She padded towards the center of the living room and plopped onto the sofa. She put on an inviting smile and patted a spot adjacent to her. "Can I borrow your shoulder for… I dunno, _forever,_ hopefully?" She said jokingly.

I've learned quickly that requests like these basically translated to her wanting to cuddle for the next hour or two. The last time we did something like this - three days ago to be exact - was when I was still extremely skittish around her. I remember quite vividly of how loudly I screeched when she tried to hug me. Sure, it wasn't my manliest hour, and I did feel guilty about potentially damaging both our eardrums, but it was my body's idea of a self-defense mechanism at the time. I thought such a negative reaction it would've discouraged her advances for at least another week, in fact I was hoping for it. I don't think my heart could withstand another moment of overwhelming intimacy right now, even if I may not be completely opposed to the idea anymore. "Can't it wait? I'd like to catch up on some sleep first." I moaned and pointed to the sags under my eyes to prove my lack of slumber last night. They were subtle, but they were there. Usually Maple is kind enough to back down when my wellbeing is at stake.

"Perfect timing! You've always liked using me as a Teddiursa doll, right? I like it too!" She boldly declared.

_I really need to stop jinxing myself..._

I was stunned by the unfortunately truthful statement. Thankfully, another alibi crossed my mind, so I regained control of myself and started towards the kitchen. "W-Well, aren't you hungry? I haven't had breakfast yet, and neither have-" I paused when I found the bowl of Mago berry soup that I left on one of the counters was empty, licked clean of all its savory goodness. "... You."

"I told you I was here before I went to come save you, didn't I?" The Leafeon sang joyfully. "Thanks for remembering my favorite dish you make!"

I scratched my head, confounded that my grand scheme had been derailed before I even finished making the excuse. "Y-Yeah, well, I thought you were home earlier, so umm… sorry if it got cold."

"Don't worry about that!" She patted on the sofa again. "Now quit stalling and come here already! I can make you something after we're done."

I racked my brain to come up with a plan C, but I'd sooner suffer a migraine before I could accomplish that. "Alright fine." I acquiesced.

She cheered melodramatically at her persuasion. Conversely, her smile began to fade once she sidled up to me. "You're always so reluctant to do things like this." She murmured.

"Do you have to say that everytime we do this?" I said callously.

"I'm saying it because it always seems like you don't want to."

I flushed and averted her gaze. "... Not necessarily."

She giggled at my reaction and laid her head on my lap so she could draw circles on my chest. I shuddered violently at her initial touch, but didn't object, at least not verbally. Minutes passed without us saying anything, though I didn't mind it as much as I thought I would. I was oddly content with watching her being so entertained by just running a paw up and down my torso. "Hey…" She spoke lowly, absentmindedly caressing one of my arms and poking wherever there was muscle. "Wanna make a new year's resolution together?"

"... Sure?" I winced when she gently squeezed a bicep. "What kind?"

"I don't know. Let's just make one."

"Erm… I can't really think of one right now." It was barely even noon yet. Isn't it the tradition to make these vows right before bedtime?

I tilted my head up towards the ceiling to ponder some more, but Maple pulled me back down by jerking at my scarf. "How about we be more honest with eachother?"

I squirmed slightly under her grip. "Do you think I lied to you about something?

"I didn't mean it like that. I trust you." She grinned gleefully. She sat back up so she could lean on me instead. "Maybe I worded that badly. I just think we should act more like a couple. You know, like boyfriend-girlfriend kinds of things."

"How am I supposed to do that? I'm not as mushy as you are."

"Oh c'mon. It's not that hard." She pinched a cheek when I tried to look away. "Talk to me."

She stared back expectantly, eyes glistening, when I couldn't help but ogle at her. It's been a while since I was able to look at her for longer than a couple seconds without turning shy. "You're very pretty." I said finally.

A fuzzy feeling blossomed inside me when I saw her face begin to color. It's always a momentous occasion when I'm not on the receiving end of flattery. "Was that a flirt? I didn't know you were capable of such things." She commented. "And I think you look handsome with that scarf on." She tugged on the neck cloth to draw me even closer. "I'm going crazy just by looking at you."

I smiled. "Is that why you gave it to me?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny it." She said frankly. "But I do hope wearing it will give you a nice confidence boost."

"Then you're in for some serious disappointment." I returned soundly. Her eyes widened when I took it off and cast it aside, then they practically bulged out of their sockets when I grabbed her shoulders and brought her in for a kiss.

"M-Milo?!" She nearly squealed when we broke away.

"See?" I announced proudly, chuckling at her first time reacting in such a way. I could get used to this powerful feeling. "I don't need a scarf, as long as I'm with you."

* * *

**It's hard to believe that it's been over a year since the making of this fun little joyride of a story. If you've made it all the way here, then I hope that means you've enjoyed reading this as much as I had writing it! Thank you so much!**

**I like to consider this to be my first, full-fledged, story. A quick visit to my profile would reveal that it technically isn't, but my old project has turned out to be a bit of a dumpster fire, due to it being my first attempt at a narrative when I was but a wee-little child. While this fanfiction certainly does have its own shortcomings, I'm satisfied with how it turned out. This story is actually a **_**lot **_**longer than I expected, namely because of the amount of fluff scenes that I couldn't resist not writing. In fact, it's nearly twice as long as I originally planned! I never even intended to do an epilogue, so I think it's fair to say that I got carried away working on this, but I guess that's part of the fun of writing. I'll even let you guys in on a little secret: Joy was never meant to be a character! She was meant to be a nameless side personality, but I ended up naming her and giving her more scenes due to a spontaneous decision, and little did I know that she was going to become my favorite among the whole cast because of it! Could you tell how much I enjoyed writing the parts with her in it?**

**I also must give credit where credit is due. This story was inspired by an actual novel called ****The Gospel According to Larry****. If you've read the book, then you were likely able to draw some parallels between that story and this one, along with a few references here and there, some more obvious than others. If you enjoyed reading through ****Fortitude****, then I highly recommend you give the source material a read! Mind you, there's only about one or two similarities that ended up being implemented into this fanfiction, so you won't get the exact same experience.**

**I will be tweaking and polishing this fanfiction as much as I can for some time, fixing errors and such, particularly on the earlier chapters, though none should be too significant. All in all, this short, lighthearted, and perhaps satirical in some aspects, story is meant to improve my writing skills in preparation for a more ambitious project that I will be moving on to. What is my next project exactly? Well, just rest assured with the knowledge that this won't be my last appearance on this site! **

**Thanks again for coming to this tiny little corner of the internet, and I hope you'll stay tuned for my future works! Stay safe out there!**


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